Narrative:

After flying all night from seoul to lax we were cleared to lax via the profile descent (fim-fim 4) for runways 24/25. I had planned to cross the fillmore VOR at 15000' and 290 KTS. We began our descent from FL390. However, prior to our descent, lax center slowed us to 250 KIAS mach 80. Center gave us progressive descent clrncs (example: FL310, FL280, FL260, FL240). Eventually we were positioned 10 DME from fim VOR at 290 KIAS and FL260 to FL250 and cleared via the profile descent. We advised the controller that we would not be able to comply with the crossing restrictions, applied speed brakes and pushed the nose over. The controller advised us to disregard airspeed restrictions, go for the altitude restrictions and slow to 250 KIAS at 9000'. Assuming there was a valid traffic threat we complied. We leveled at 9000' and were given the stadium visual clearance crossing the smo VOR. Immediately we began extending gear and flaps and attempted to get the airplane down. We dead stick landed on runway 24R at threshold speed plus 15 KTS. At the time we began our descent from FL390 it was well within the capabilities of the aircraft and crew to accomplish a normal approach and landing, but by adding progressive descent constraints, additional power was added to level off and a normal approach became impossible. Significant factors which affected performance: 1) the aircraft--the widebody transport is a fairly difficult aircraft to get down. It is difficult to return to a normal profile if descent clearance is delayed. 2) the crew--we had been flying all night and were fatigued. The level of activity was low until the approach/descent phase of flight. Then we were so busy trying to make crossing restrictions it became difficult to 'stay ahead of the airplane.' the second officer was invaluable in helping. 3) the controllers--I do not claim to understand what constraints are placed upon the controllers. I do not blame the controllers, but if the system requires controllers to issue unreasonable altitudes and illegal airspds the system must be changed.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATC HANDLING RESULTS IN AN UNSTABILIZED APCH INTO LAX.

Narrative: AFTER FLYING ALL NIGHT FROM SEOUL TO LAX WE WERE CLRED TO LAX VIA THE PROFILE DSCNT (FIM-FIM 4) FOR RWYS 24/25. I HAD PLANNED TO CROSS THE FILLMORE VOR AT 15000' AND 290 KTS. WE BEGAN OUR DSCNT FROM FL390. HOWEVER, PRIOR TO OUR DSCNT, LAX CENTER SLOWED US TO 250 KIAS MACH 80. CENTER GAVE US PROGRESSIVE DSCNT CLRNCS (EXAMPLE: FL310, FL280, FL260, FL240). EVENTUALLY WE WERE POSITIONED 10 DME FROM FIM VOR AT 290 KIAS AND FL260 TO FL250 AND CLRED VIA THE PROFILE DSCNT. WE ADVISED THE CTLR THAT WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO COMPLY WITH THE XING RESTRICTIONS, APPLIED SPD BRAKES AND PUSHED THE NOSE OVER. THE CTLR ADVISED US TO DISREGARD AIRSPD RESTRICTIONS, GO FOR THE ALT RESTRICTIONS AND SLOW TO 250 KIAS AT 9000'. ASSUMING THERE WAS A VALID TFC THREAT WE COMPLIED. WE LEVELED AT 9000' AND WERE GIVEN THE STADIUM VISUAL CLRNC XING THE SMO VOR. IMMEDIATELY WE BEGAN EXTENDING GEAR AND FLAPS AND ATTEMPTED TO GET THE AIRPLANE DOWN. WE DEAD STICK LANDED ON RWY 24R AT THRESHOLD SPD PLUS 15 KTS. AT THE TIME WE BEGAN OUR DSCNT FROM FL390 IT WAS WELL WITHIN THE CAPABILITIES OF THE ACFT AND CREW TO ACCOMPLISH A NORMAL APCH AND LNDG, BUT BY ADDING PROGRESSIVE DSCNT CONSTRAINTS, ADDITIONAL PWR WAS ADDED TO LEVEL OFF AND A NORMAL APCH BECAME IMPOSSIBLE. SIGNIFICANT FACTORS WHICH AFFECTED PERFORMANCE: 1) THE ACFT--THE WDB IS A FAIRLY DIFFICULT ACFT TO GET DOWN. IT IS DIFFICULT TO RETURN TO A NORMAL PROFILE IF DSCNT CLRNC IS DELAYED. 2) THE CREW--WE HAD BEEN FLYING ALL NIGHT AND WERE FATIGUED. THE LEVEL OF ACTIVITY WAS LOW UNTIL THE APCH/DSCNT PHASE OF FLT. THEN WE WERE SO BUSY TRYING TO MAKE XING RESTRICTIONS IT BECAME DIFFICULT TO 'STAY AHEAD OF THE AIRPLANE.' THE S/O WAS INVALUABLE IN HELPING. 3) THE CTLRS--I DO NOT CLAIM TO UNDERSTAND WHAT CONSTRAINTS ARE PLACED UPON THE CTLRS. I DO NOT BLAME THE CTLRS, BUT IF THE SYS REQUIRES CTLRS TO ISSUE UNREASONABLE ALTS AND ILLEGAL AIRSPDS THE SYS MUST BE CHANGED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.