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Approach controller allows flight crew refusal to accept a speed restr clearance distract him from other duties. Reporter believes this to be an example of how pressure on the system to maximize traffic volume has negatively impacted air safety.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 695886 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200605 |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : phx.airport |
| State Reference | AZ |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : p50.tracon |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737-300 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Route In Use | arrival : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : p50.tracon |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Route In Use | approach : visual |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 10100 flight time type : 2200 |
| ASRS Report | 695886 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | non adherence : clearance |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : unable |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Environmental Factor Aircraft ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
Narrative:
Aircraft holding due to traffic saturation at phx. Tracking localizer runway 7R; VMC conditions. Approach control broke off localizer and assigned heading/speed for sequence. Final controller working a B737 2 airplanes ahead. Controller cleared air carrier Y for visual and assigned 180 KTS to 5 mi final. Air carrier Y said unable; will do 165 KTS to 5 mi final. Controller then threatened air carrier Y over radio 'we will have to forward the tapes to company.' controller became so focused on air carrier Y; he started confusing call signs of following 2 aircraft -- second being ours. When we queried that we would need lower; he stated 'you are already cleared for visual.' we were not cleared. No traffic separation or safety compromised. Report submitted to bring attention to a stressed out system. Controllers and pilots alike are being pushed to accommodate. When above controller became focused on verbally reprimanding a flight crew over the radio; he disengaged from situational awareness. In light of recent unstabilized approachs in far part 121 operations; ATC needs to remember the dynamics involved with line flying and that flight crews are the best determiner of what speeds we will maintain.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: APCH CTLR ALLOWS FLT CREW REFUSAL TO ACCEPT A SPD RESTR CLRNC DISTRACT HIM FROM OTHER DUTIES. RPTR BELIEVES THIS TO BE AN EXAMPLE OF HOW PRESSURE ON THE SYS TO MAXIMIZE TFC VOLUME HAS NEGATIVELY IMPACTED AIR SAFETY.
Narrative: ACFT HOLDING DUE TO TFC SATURATION AT PHX. TRACKING LOC RWY 7R; VMC CONDITIONS. APCH CTL BROKE OFF LOC AND ASSIGNED HDG/SPD FOR SEQUENCE. FINAL CTLR WORKING A B737 2 AIRPLANES AHEAD. CTLR CLRED ACR Y FOR VISUAL AND ASSIGNED 180 KTS TO 5 MI FINAL. ACR Y SAID UNABLE; WILL DO 165 KTS TO 5 MI FINAL. CTLR THEN THREATENED ACR Y OVER RADIO 'WE WILL HAVE TO FORWARD THE TAPES TO COMPANY.' CTLR BECAME SO FOCUSED ON ACR Y; HE STARTED CONFUSING CALL SIGNS OF FOLLOWING 2 ACFT -- SECOND BEING OURS. WHEN WE QUERIED THAT WE WOULD NEED LOWER; HE STATED 'YOU ARE ALREADY CLRED FOR VISUAL.' WE WERE NOT CLRED. NO TFC SEPARATION OR SAFETY COMPROMISED. RPT SUBMITTED TO BRING ATTN TO A STRESSED OUT SYS. CTLRS AND PLTS ALIKE ARE BEING PUSHED TO ACCOMMODATE. WHEN ABOVE CTLR BECAME FOCUSED ON VERBALLY REPRIMANDING A FLT CREW OVER THE RADIO; HE DISENGAGED FROM SITUATIONAL AWARENESS. IN LIGHT OF RECENT UNSTABILIZED APCHS IN FAR PART 121 OPS; ATC NEEDS TO REMEMBER THE DYNAMICS INVOLVED WITH LINE FLYING AND THAT FLT CREWS ARE THE BEST DETERMINER OF WHAT SPDS WE WILL MAINTAIN.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.