Narrative:

Controller #1 cleared us direct to howdy intersection and told us to delete speeds until reaching dietz intersection at 210 KTS. Controller #2 told us to turn to a heading of 300 degrees at dietz and to 'keep the speed up.' we were about 10 mi from dietz at 300 KTS. Handoff to controller #3 about 30 seconds after talking to controller #2. We expected a descent and first officer was slowing from 300 KTS, approximately 7 mi from dietz. Controller #3 was apparently surprised by our speed and told us to slow, then questioned our speed. We were doing about 220 KIAS just past dietz. I asked the controller if there was a problem. Response was that we were rapidly overtaking an F100. I noted that we had been told to keep the speed up. Apparently no separation conflict existed. Controller #3 did state if the speeds were deleted we were correct. I was very concerned that either the third controller had not received our accurate speed clearance or perhaps we had misunderstood our airspeed deletions and/or restrs. I called dfw supervisor at approach control from sea on layover. He stated that no conflict existed and no problem. In retrospect, the better clarification would have been to ask for a stated 'keep it up' speed to define the parameters we should have maintained. Lesson learned: even if not in doubt, back up ambiguous clrncs with solid clarification of specific speeds.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80S FLC ARE ISSUED DIFFERING CTL INSTRUCTIONS FROM 3 DIFFERENT CTLRS WHILE FLYING THE CEDAR CREEK 2 STAR. PIC CALLS LATER TO DETERMINE IF A PROB EXISTED, QUESTIONING MULTIPLE CLRNCS.

Narrative: CTLR #1 CLRED US DIRECT TO HOWDY INTXN AND TOLD US TO DELETE SPDS UNTIL REACHING DIETZ INTXN AT 210 KTS. CTLR #2 TOLD US TO TURN TO A HDG OF 300 DEGS AT DIETZ AND TO 'KEEP THE SPD UP.' WE WERE ABOUT 10 MI FROM DIETZ AT 300 KTS. HDOF TO CTLR #3 ABOUT 30 SECONDS AFTER TALKING TO CTLR #2. WE EXPECTED A DSCNT AND FO WAS SLOWING FROM 300 KTS, APPROX 7 MI FROM DIETZ. CTLR #3 WAS APPARENTLY SURPRISED BY OUR SPD AND TOLD US TO SLOW, THEN QUESTIONED OUR SPD. WE WERE DOING ABOUT 220 KIAS JUST PAST DIETZ. I ASKED THE CTLR IF THERE WAS A PROB. RESPONSE WAS THAT WE WERE RAPIDLY OVERTAKING AN F100. I NOTED THAT WE HAD BEEN TOLD TO KEEP THE SPD UP. APPARENTLY NO SEPARATION CONFLICT EXISTED. CTLR #3 DID STATE IF THE SPDS WERE DELETED WE WERE CORRECT. I WAS VERY CONCERNED THAT EITHER THE THIRD CTLR HAD NOT RECEIVED OUR ACCURATE SPD CLRNC OR PERHAPS WE HAD MISUNDERSTOOD OUR AIRSPD DELETIONS AND/OR RESTRS. I CALLED DFW SUPVR AT APCH CTL FROM SEA ON LAYOVER. HE STATED THAT NO CONFLICT EXISTED AND NO PROB. IN RETROSPECT, THE BETTER CLARIFICATION WOULD HAVE BEEN TO ASK FOR A STATED 'KEEP IT UP' SPD TO DEFINE THE PARAMETERS WE SHOULD HAVE MAINTAINED. LESSON LEARNED: EVEN IF NOT IN DOUBT, BACK UP AMBIGUOUS CLRNCS WITH SOLID CLARIFICATION OF SPECIFIC SPDS.

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.