Commercial Fixed Wing
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 200; Flight Crew Total 20000; Flight Crew Type 12000
Human-Machine Interface; Fatigue; Confusion; Communication Breakdown; Situational Awareness
Deviation - Speed All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Other / Unknown; Inflight Event / Encounter Unstabilized Approach
Flight Crew Became Reoriented
Human Factors; Procedure
We were assigned 200 KTS early in the arrival sequence. The pilot flying believed that ATC would slow him and that the marker displayed on the map was the FAF. Both assumptions were in error; so at glide slope intercept; speed was 200 KTS with flaps 1. Airspeed criteria at FAF and 1;500 FT was not met. Crew went into the 'rapidly correcting' mode. Inside 1;000 FT; calls of 'airspeed' and 'airspeed correcting' were made. At 500 FT; still on lateral and vertical profile; and stabilized approach parameters satisfied; a go around was not required. Landing was on speed in touch down zone.This was a good lesson in CRM skills. Once the error was identified; the entire crew quickly went into the repair and recover mode. There was a post flight debrief in the cockpit; parked at the gate; that continued onto evening hours. Lessons were learned by an experienced; high time crew. I believe fatigue was a major player in this event.
A tired flight crew was kept at too high an airspeed by ZBAA Approach Control until near the FAF. Flight crew had to scramble and work together to achieve stabilized approach criteria to avoid having to execute a go around.