Narrative:

We received a clearance from 11000 ft to 8000 ft on descent into ord. I set 8000 ft into the MCP window, said '8000 ft' and pointed per SOP. Captain pointed, said 8000 ft. Captain began descent. Radio xmissions indicated possible runway change, so I reached down into my flight bag to get new plates, etc. When I looked up, we were descending through 9000 ft at a speed greater than 250 KTS. At the same time, the controller told us to stop descent until we had slowed to 250 KTS. I acknowledged and captain complied. Controller again repeated instructions. I confirmed level and slowing. I've asked several pilots about their experience with this problem, as I've seen it happen as an omc and caught myself and others as it was about to happen. Others agreed that it is a problem but don't say anything about it because it 'sounds stupid.' I believe that there were 2 causes: 1) fatigue. This was the third day of a 3-DAY trip with wake-up times at XA15, XB15, and XA30. This was not as much of a problem on my previous fleet, but in this fleet/domicile most trips are very early. In previous fleet, times were mixed or possible to bid later trips. 2) I think that SOP puts a great deal of focus on altitude, with pointing, callouts, etc, which in most cases is good, but in this case distraction from thinking about airspeed reduction. Focus is on getting to 8000 ft, not 250 KTS. This seems to be a problem particularly for former pilots of commuter and other aircraft which don't reach 250 KTS and so don't require slowing at 10000 ft. Also, it's a busy time where the PNF is apt to be distraction by other, necessary activities. Solutions: 2 legs later, we flew the same route again. It was my leg. This time, the controller said, 'after slowing to 250 KTS, descend to 8000 ft.' the captain said that he wished ATC had used those words for him, he wouldn't have had the problem. Also, if we point and repeat altitudes, maybe we should have some reinforcement SOP for a reminder about airspeed when going below 10000 ft. Or, better yet, a 10000 ft buzzer or something different from the regular altitude warning sound. For me, the altitude callouts are less needed than the 250 KT reminder. Even so, if I could have only one, I'd take the 250 KT reminder. Also, more consideration about fatigue and scheduling.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF MLG DURING DSCNT EXCEEDS SPD BELOW 10000 FT. APCH CTLR CATCHES THE ERROR JUST AS FLC DOES.

Narrative: WE RECEIVED A CLRNC FROM 11000 FT TO 8000 FT ON DSCNT INTO ORD. I SET 8000 FT INTO THE MCP WINDOW, SAID '8000 FT' AND POINTED PER SOP. CAPT POINTED, SAID 8000 FT. CAPT BEGAN DSCNT. RADIO XMISSIONS INDICATED POSSIBLE RWY CHANGE, SO I REACHED DOWN INTO MY FLT BAG TO GET NEW PLATES, ETC. WHEN I LOOKED UP, WE WERE DSNDING THROUGH 9000 FT AT A SPD GREATER THAN 250 KTS. AT THE SAME TIME, THE CTLR TOLD US TO STOP DSCNT UNTIL WE HAD SLOWED TO 250 KTS. I ACKNOWLEDGED AND CAPT COMPLIED. CTLR AGAIN REPEATED INSTRUCTIONS. I CONFIRMED LEVEL AND SLOWING. I'VE ASKED SEVERAL PLTS ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCE WITH THIS PROB, AS I'VE SEEN IT HAPPEN AS AN OMC AND CAUGHT MYSELF AND OTHERS AS IT WAS ABOUT TO HAPPEN. OTHERS AGREED THAT IT IS A PROB BUT DON'T SAY ANYTHING ABOUT IT BECAUSE IT 'SOUNDS STUPID.' I BELIEVE THAT THERE WERE 2 CAUSES: 1) FATIGUE. THIS WAS THE THIRD DAY OF A 3-DAY TRIP WITH WAKE-UP TIMES AT XA15, XB15, AND XA30. THIS WAS NOT AS MUCH OF A PROB ON MY PREVIOUS FLEET, BUT IN THIS FLEET/DOMICILE MOST TRIPS ARE VERY EARLY. IN PREVIOUS FLEET, TIMES WERE MIXED OR POSSIBLE TO BID LATER TRIPS. 2) I THINK THAT SOP PUTS A GREAT DEAL OF FOCUS ON ALT, WITH POINTING, CALLOUTS, ETC, WHICH IN MOST CASES IS GOOD, BUT IN THIS CASE DISTR FROM THINKING ABOUT AIRSPD REDUCTION. FOCUS IS ON GETTING TO 8000 FT, NOT 250 KTS. THIS SEEMS TO BE A PROB PARTICULARLY FOR FORMER PLTS OF COMMUTER AND OTHER ACFT WHICH DON'T REACH 250 KTS AND SO DON'T REQUIRE SLOWING AT 10000 FT. ALSO, IT'S A BUSY TIME WHERE THE PNF IS APT TO BE DISTR BY OTHER, NECESSARY ACTIVITIES. SOLUTIONS: 2 LEGS LATER, WE FLEW THE SAME RTE AGAIN. IT WAS MY LEG. THIS TIME, THE CTLR SAID, 'AFTER SLOWING TO 250 KTS, DSND TO 8000 FT.' THE CAPT SAID THAT HE WISHED ATC HAD USED THOSE WORDS FOR HIM, HE WOULDN'T HAVE HAD THE PROB. ALSO, IF WE POINT AND REPEAT ALTS, MAYBE WE SHOULD HAVE SOME REINFORCEMENT SOP FOR A REMINDER ABOUT AIRSPD WHEN GOING BELOW 10000 FT. OR, BETTER YET, A 10000 FT BUZZER OR SOMETHING DIFFERENT FROM THE REGULAR ALT WARNING SOUND. FOR ME, THE ALT CALLOUTS ARE LESS NEEDED THAN THE 250 KT REMINDER. EVEN SO, IF I COULD HAVE ONLY ONE, I'D TAKE THE 250 KT REMINDER. ALSO, MORE CONSIDERATION ABOUT FATIGUE AND SCHEDULING.

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.