Date: 201308
Local time of day: 1201-1800
Location: MGM.Airport, AL
Flight conditions: VMC
Light: Daylight
Aircraft: Regional Jet 200 ER/LR (CRJ200)
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Flight phase: Initial Approach
Airspace: Class D MGM
ATC / advisory: TRACON MGM
Aircraft component: Speedbrake/Spoiler
Component problem: Improperly Operated
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: Captain; Pilot Not Flying
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Human factors: Workload; Distraction
Second reporter function: Pilot Flying; First Officer
Anomaly: Deviation - Speed All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Detector: Person Flight Crew
When detected: In-flight
Result: Flight Crew Became Reoriented
Contributing factors: Airspace Structure; Human Factors; Procedure
Primary problem: Human Factors

Narrative: We were flying to MGM during the day; in VMC conditions. As we approached MGM Runway 10 from the northeast; Approach Control kept us a little high to keep us above the airspace of Maxwell AFB. The Controller then decided to put us in front of some other traffic approaching MGM. The result was that we needed to descend and slow rather abruptly. The pilot flying extended the spoilers all the way; and as the aircraft began to slow; started to request flaps. The aircraft slowed rather quickly; and as both pilots became distracted with communications duties and judging the progress of the approach; we forgot that the spoilers were still fully extended. The pilot flying began adding power as airspeed deteriorated. As the airspeed went below 160 KTS with flaps at 30 degrees; the pilot flying called for flaps 45; and added more power. I noticed the negative airspeed trend vector; but since the pilot flying was adding quite a bit of power; I set the flaps to 45 degrees. The airspeed continued to deteriorate as we leveled off; and the pilot flying continued to add power. Shortly after this; we received a brief stick shaker and the autopilot disengaged. We immediately realized then that the spoilers were still inadvertently extended; and the pilot not flying retracted them fully. The stick shaker stopped; and our airspeed increased immediately. The pilot flying continued to add power; toward max power. Our airspeed quickly recovered to normal for our configuration; and we had not lost any altitude. We were able to continue the visual approach to Runway 10. We landed without further incident.Threats included distractions such as a high workload and the need to descend and slow rapidly during the busy approach phase of flight. The biggest error was inadvertently leaving the spoilers extended; which in part led to an undesirable aircraft state.Behaviors that would help in the future; for both flight crew members would be better awareness of high workload situations and flight control positions. Also; if we are not comfortable with a clearance; we can request a different clearance that might allow for more time to descend and slow.


Second narrative: The primary cause for the event was the pilot flying forgetting that the spoilers were deployed. Getting a slam-dunk approach; high workloads for the pilots. Failure to retract the spoilers in a timely manner. Stick shaker; high power setting with spoilers out. Using some sort of reminder that the spoilers are deployed; i.e. leaving my hand on the spoiler handle if the spoilers are deployed.


Synopsis: CRJ-200 flight crew reported they got a stick shaker when they forgot the flight spoilers were still extended.