Narrative:

We were instructed to descend from FL230 to 11,000 feet and cross bronc intersection at 11,000 ft. Center did not give us much time to descend so we had to open our speed brakes in order to make the crossing restriction. Approaching 11,000 ft, the first officer closed the speed brakes but the left spoiler stayed in the up position causing the plane to roll to the left. We opened the speed brake again and closed them again and this time both spoilers closed. While maintaining control of the plane, the first officer descended approximately 400-500 ft below the assigned altitude of 11,000 ft. We quickly climbed the plane back to 11,000 ft and the rest of the flight was uneventful. At no time were we in any conflict with any other plane. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated this was the first incident experienced of a spoiler not retracting when commanded. The reporter said the airplane was in descent to make an 11,000 ft crossing restriction and the first officer retracted the speed brakes at 12,500 ft and the airplane rolled immediately to the left. The reporter stated both crew members got on the ailerons to recover from the roll and to level the airplane. The reporter said recycling the speed brake handle retracted the spoilers. The reporter stated during this incident the 11,000 ft crossing altitude was undershot by 400 feet but was quickly regained. The reporter said the first officer has experienced one other spoiler not retracting incident on the embraer 145. The reporter stated maintenance was advised of the problem and did ask us to ground check the spoilers and advise. The reporter said the spoilers checked ok and maintenance was advised but no maintenance action was taken. Callback from acn 609673: the reporter stated this was the second time a spoiler remained deployed when the speed brake was retracted. The reporter said both times it was in descent and the EICAS displayed speed brake handle disagree with the chime and amber caution light. The reporter stated the airplane rolled left and required 45 degrees right aileron to recover and 30 degrees for level flight. The reporter said recycling the speed brakes both left and right spoilers went down.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN EMBRAER 145 IN DSCNT REACHING 12,500 FT RETRACTED IT'S SPOILERS, BUT THE L SPOILER STAYED UP AND ACFT ROLLED L.

Narrative: WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO DSND FROM FL230 TO 11,000 FEET AND CROSS BRONC INTERSECTION AT 11,000 FT. CENTER DID NOT GIVE US MUCH TIME TO DSND SO WE HAD TO OPEN OUR SPEED BRAKES IN ORDER TO MAKE THE CROSSING RESTRICTION. APCHING 11,000 FT, THE FO CLOSED THE SPEED BRAKES BUT THE L SPOILER STAYED IN THE UP POSITION CAUSING THE PLANE TO ROLL TO THE L. WE OPENED THE SPEED BRAKE AGAIN AND CLOSED THEM AGAIN AND THIS TIME BOTH SPOILERS CLOSED. WHILE MAINTAINING CTL OF THE PLANE, THE FO DSNDED APPROX 400-500 FT BELOW THE ASSIGNED ALT OF 11,000 FT. WE QUICKLY CLBED THE PLANE BACK TO 11,000 FT AND THE REST OF THE FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL. AT NO TIME WERE WE IN ANY CONFLICT WITH ANY OTHER PLANE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THIS WAS THE FIRST INCIDENT EXPERIENCED OF A SPOILER NOT RETRACTING WHEN COMMANDED. THE RPTR SAID THE AIRPLANE WAS IN DSCNT TO MAKE AN 11,000 FT XING RESTRICTION AND THE FO RETRACTED THE SPEED BRAKES AT 12,500 FT AND THE AIRPLANE ROLLED IMMEDIATELY TO THE L. THE RPTR STATED BOTH CREW MEMBERS GOT ON THE AILERONS TO RECOVER FROM THE ROLL AND TO LEVEL THE AIRPLANE. THE RPTR SAID RECYCLING THE SPEED BRAKE HANDLE RETRACTED THE SPOILERS. THE RPTR STATED DURING THIS INCIDENT THE 11,000 FT CROSSING ALT WAS UNDERSHOT BY 400 FEET BUT WAS QUICKLY REGAINED. THE RPTR SAID THE FO HAS EXPERIENCED ONE OTHER SPOILER NOT RETRACTING INCIDENT ON THE EMBRAER 145. THE RPTR STATED MAINT WAS ADVISED OF THE PROB AND DID ASK US TO GND CHECK THE SPOILERS AND ADVISE. THE RPTR SAID THE SPOILERS CHECKED OK AND MAINT WAS ADVISED BUT NO MAINT ACTION WAS TAKEN. CALLBACK FROM ACN 609673: THE RPTR STATED THIS WAS THE SECOND TIME A SPOILER REMAINED DEPLOYED WHEN THE SPEED BRAKE WAS RETRACTED. THE RPTR SAID BOTH TIMES IT WAS IN DSCNT AND THE EICAS DISPLAYED SPEED BRAKE HANDLE DISAGREE WITH THE CHIME AND AMBER CAUTION LIGHT. THE RPTR STATED THE AIRPLANE ROLLED L AND REQUIRED 45 DEGS R AILERON TO RECOVER AND 30 DEGS FOR LEVEL FLT. THE RPTR SAID RECYCLING THE SPEED BRAKES BOTH L AND R SPOILERS WENT DOWN.

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.