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An light transport commuter is descended out of class B airspace by mem approach controller. Crew had forgotten the airspeed requirements when below the floor of the class B until the controller asked for their indicated speed.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 397380 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199803 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : mem |
| State Reference | TN |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 5000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : mem |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Commercial Fixed Wing |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | Other |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach descent other |
| Route In Use | arrival other enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : commercial |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 6000 |
| ASRS Report | 397380 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 230 flight time total : 2100 flight time type : 900 |
| ASRS Report | 396606 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation Operational Deviation |
Narrative:
While on approach control (mem), we were being vectored extensively for spacing (we were never slowed). We were on a 090 degree heading at approximately 20 DME off mem when we were given a left turn to a heading of 180 degrees. Shortly thereafter, we were given a descent from 5000 ft to 3000 ft, and soon thereafter, the controller asked what our speed was. I replied that we were indicating 220 KTS. I then noticed that the DME was showing 21 mi. This meant that we were about 1 mi outside the class B. The controller never mentioned that we were leaving the class B when he descended us from 5000 ft to 3000 ft. The 270 degree turn just before the descent had us going away from the airport and contributed to taking us outside the 20 DME circle of the class B. If the controller had told us he was taking us below the class B I'm quite sure we would have noticed the speed and slowed accordingly. Supplemental information from acn 396606: no speed restr was specified. Every day airline crews fly through class B airspace and come to rely on controllers slowing or increasing speeds for spacing. This breeds some complacency on the crews' part regarding fine points of airspace awareness.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN LTT COMMUTER IS DSNDED OUT OF CLASS B AIRSPACE BY MEM APCH CTLR. CREW HAD FORGOTTEN THE AIRSPD REQUIREMENTS WHEN BELOW THE FLOOR OF THE CLASS B UNTIL THE CTLR ASKED FOR THEIR INDICATED SPD.
Narrative: WHILE ON APCH CTL (MEM), WE WERE BEING VECTORED EXTENSIVELY FOR SPACING (WE WERE NEVER SLOWED). WE WERE ON A 090 DEG HDG AT APPROX 20 DME OFF MEM WHEN WE WERE GIVEN A L TURN TO A HDG OF 180 DEGS. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, WE WERE GIVEN A DSCNT FROM 5000 FT TO 3000 FT, AND SOON THEREAFTER, THE CTLR ASKED WHAT OUR SPD WAS. I REPLIED THAT WE WERE INDICATING 220 KTS. I THEN NOTICED THAT THE DME WAS SHOWING 21 MI. THIS MEANT THAT WE WERE ABOUT 1 MI OUTSIDE THE CLASS B. THE CTLR NEVER MENTIONED THAT WE WERE LEAVING THE CLASS B WHEN HE DSNDED US FROM 5000 FT TO 3000 FT. THE 270 DEG TURN JUST BEFORE THE DSCNT HAD US GOING AWAY FROM THE ARPT AND CONTRIBUTED TO TAKING US OUTSIDE THE 20 DME CIRCLE OF THE CLASS B. IF THE CTLR HAD TOLD US HE WAS TAKING US BELOW THE CLASS B I'M QUITE SURE WE WOULD HAVE NOTICED THE SPD AND SLOWED ACCORDINGLY. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 396606: NO SPD RESTR WAS SPECIFIED. EVERY DAY AIRLINE CREWS FLY THROUGH CLASS B AIRSPACE AND COME TO RELY ON CTLRS SLOWING OR INCREASING SPDS FOR SPACING. THIS BREEDS SOME COMPLACENCY ON THE CREWS' PART REGARDING FINE POINTS OF AIRSPACE AWARENESS.
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.