Narrative:

Prior controller requested 300 KTS or greater and cleared us direct deale intersection while on the nottingham 5 STAR at 13000 ft. Next controller gave us a crossing restr of 9000 ft over ott VOR. PNF tried to explain that we were not cleared to ott (the controller seemed overloaded, possible trainee). The controller said that they needed us to descend to 9000 ft and that we were cleared to deale intersection. The controller then came back with a further descent to 7000 ft. As we passed 9000 ft, the controller asked us our speed. We replied 340 KTS. A second controller (possible supervisor) then asked us to slow to 250 KTS as we had traffic 7 mi ahead. I promptly slowed the aircraft to 250 KTS and continued the descent to 7000 ft. Contributing factors: congested frequency. Unable to confirm crossing restr/clearance. High workload for controller/uncertain of our cleared fix. Aircraft crew undergoing IOE training. It seemed that the controller was preoccupied with getting us down (lower) rather than slowing us down first. The prior controller wanted more speed but allowed us a non standard altitude (13000 ft) to top WX then cleared us to a point (deale intersection) in order to provide further spacing. After being cleared direct deale, we were told to maintain 300 KTS or greater. The subsequent controller only seemed interested in a lower altitude. During this time the PNF was engaged in obtaining ATIS and setting up the approach, therefore, was not able to monitor PF during the descent through 10000 ft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SPD DEV WHEN A CPR FO TRAINEE MISUNDERSTOOD THE 250 KT RESTRS BELOW 10000 FT AS OFFERED BY ATC NEAR DEALE INTXN.

Narrative: PRIOR CTLR REQUESTED 300 KTS OR GREATER AND CLRED US DIRECT DEALE INTXN WHILE ON THE NOTTINGHAM 5 STAR AT 13000 FT. NEXT CTLR GAVE US A XING RESTR OF 9000 FT OVER OTT VOR. PNF TRIED TO EXPLAIN THAT WE WERE NOT CLRED TO OTT (THE CTLR SEEMED OVERLOADED, POSSIBLE TRAINEE). THE CTLR SAID THAT THEY NEEDED US TO DSND TO 9000 FT AND THAT WE WERE CLRED TO DEALE INTXN. THE CTLR THEN CAME BACK WITH A FURTHER DSCNT TO 7000 FT. AS WE PASSED 9000 FT, THE CTLR ASKED US OUR SPD. WE REPLIED 340 KTS. A SECOND CTLR (POSSIBLE SUPVR) THEN ASKED US TO SLOW TO 250 KTS AS WE HAD TFC 7 MI AHEAD. I PROMPTLY SLOWED THE ACFT TO 250 KTS AND CONTINUED THE DSCNT TO 7000 FT. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: CONGESTED FREQ. UNABLE TO CONFIRM XING RESTR/CLRNC. HIGH WORKLOAD FOR CTLR/UNCERTAIN OF OUR CLRED FIX. ACFT CREW UNDERGOING IOE TRAINING. IT SEEMED THAT THE CTLR WAS PREOCCUPIED WITH GETTING US DOWN (LOWER) RATHER THAN SLOWING US DOWN FIRST. THE PRIOR CTLR WANTED MORE SPD BUT ALLOWED US A NON STANDARD ALT (13000 FT) TO TOP WX THEN CLRED US TO A POINT (DEALE INTXN) IN ORDER TO PROVIDE FURTHER SPACING. AFTER BEING CLRED DIRECT DEALE, WE WERE TOLD TO MAINTAIN 300 KTS OR GREATER. THE SUBSEQUENT CTLR ONLY SEEMED INTERESTED IN A LOWER ALT. DURING THIS TIME THE PNF WAS ENGAGED IN OBTAINING ATIS AND SETTING UP THE APCH, THEREFORE, WAS NOT ABLE TO MONITOR PF DURING THE DSCNT THROUGH 10000 FT.

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.