Narrative:

On the 4TH leg of an onerous trip pairing the entire crew failed to realize that we were still indicating 300 KTS airspeed as we descended from 10000 ft MSL to 8000 ft. Only when the controller advised 'maintain 250 KTS please' did we realize our error. Contributing factors were the fact that we were behind schedule and exhausted from the early morning get up and commute to a XX00 am report time. I believe a longer turnaround time at international destinations would have reduced the schedule pressure on the crew. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: primary problem is schedule parings with multiple legs, 2 to 4 hour layovers at en route airports, sitting around between legs creates greater fatigue than flying more legs. That, with varied duty periods in multiple days, such as an early morning departure one day, next day depart late with late arrival, then another early departure, etc. Reporter says the trip pairings are economically driven and companies must get the most productivity from the flight crew as possible. But, with many stops with long situation times, doesn't equate. Reporter says that his company and union are working to correct the situation. Another contributing factor is flying into foreign airports with minimum turn around time. Many times there are problems with passenger and customs, immigration, general declarations, etc. Which create delays. Flight crew then departs late and has schedule pressure to make up the time. Another trap leading to speed deviations is when a flight crew operates into a foreign country with no speed restrs and then falls into the habit pattern and becoming complacent when back in the united states.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SPD DEV BELOW 10000 FT. SCHEDULE PRESSURE.

Narrative: ON THE 4TH LEG OF AN ONEROUS TRIP PAIRING THE ENTIRE CREW FAILED TO REALIZE THAT WE WERE STILL INDICATING 300 KTS AIRSPD AS WE DSNDED FROM 10000 FT MSL TO 8000 FT. ONLY WHEN THE CTLR ADVISED 'MAINTAIN 250 KTS PLEASE' DID WE REALIZE OUR ERROR. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE THE FACT THAT WE WERE BEHIND SCHEDULE AND EXHAUSTED FROM THE EARLY MORNING GET UP AND COMMUTE TO A XX00 AM RPT TIME. I BELIEVE A LONGER TURNAROUND TIME AT INTL DESTS WOULD HAVE REDUCED THE SCHEDULE PRESSURE ON THE CREW. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: PRIMARY PROB IS SCHEDULE PARINGS WITH MULTIPLE LEGS, 2 TO 4 HR LAYOVERS AT ENRTE ARPTS, SITTING AROUND BTWN LEGS CREATES GREATER FATIGUE THAN FLYING MORE LEGS. THAT, WITH VARIED DUTY PERIODS IN MULTIPLE DAYS, SUCH AS AN EARLY MORNING DEP ONE DAY, NEXT DAY DEPART LATE WITH LATE ARR, THEN ANOTHER EARLY DEP, ETC. RPTR SAYS THE TRIP PAIRINGS ARE ECONOMICALLY DRIVEN AND COMPANIES MUST GET THE MOST PRODUCTIVITY FROM THE FLC AS POSSIBLE. BUT, WITH MANY STOPS WITH LONG SIT TIMES, DOESN'T EQUATE. RPTR SAYS THAT HIS COMPANY AND UNION ARE WORKING TO CORRECT THE SIT. ANOTHER CONTRIBUTING FACTOR IS FLYING INTO FOREIGN ARPTS WITH MINIMUM TURN AROUND TIME. MANY TIMES THERE ARE PROBS WITH PAX AND CUSTOMS, IMMIGRATION, GENERAL DECLARATIONS, ETC. WHICH CREATE DELAYS. FLC THEN DEPARTS LATE AND HAS SCHEDULE PRESSURE TO MAKE UP THE TIME. ANOTHER TRAP LEADING TO SPD DEVS IS WHEN A FLC OPERATES INTO A FOREIGN COUNTRY WITH NO SPD RESTRS AND THEN FALLS INTO THE HABIT PATTERN AND BECOMING COMPLACENT WHEN BACK IN THE UNITED STATES.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.