The flight crew of a B737-700 encountered an unexpected route discontinuity between BUOYY and BSQUE on the line selected BLZZR RNAV SID off Runway 4R at BOS.

Date: 2012-12 · Aircraft: B737-700 · Phase: climb

Anomalies: Aircraft equipment problem critical

Synopsis

The flight crew of a B737-700 encountered an unexpected route discontinuity between BUOYY and BSQUE on the line selected BLZZR RNAV SID off Runway 4R at BOS.

Narrative

Shortly after takeoff on Runway 4R at BOS on the BLZZR 1 RNAV Departure; we received a route discontinuity between BUOYY and BSQUE. Three attempts were made to close the discontinuity before it closed. We remained on the LNAV course throughout departure. Preflight route/departure briefing verified all correct points for procedure; and no discontinuities existed. There is a Safety Alert in our chart manuals; along with a note on the cover page of the trip weather package; drawing attention to route discontinuities occurring from Runways 15R and 22L/R between points BRRRO and CHWDH and a warning to not accept these procedures with a discontinuity. The purpose of this report is to alert Flight Operations that this anomaly is occurring on other runways not included in the Safety Alert or weather package cover note. Dispatch was contacted once we got to cruise altitude to pass this information along to flight crews departing BOS. My Chief Pilot and Union Safety Representative were also given a courtesy call to inform them of the issue.I believe the company should suspend RNAV departures out of BOS until the cause for these discontinuities is discovered.

Second reporter narrative

This problem is not runway specific; as it happened to us as well on Runway 4R. We attempted to close the discontinuity three times to no avail. The aircraft would no longer fly the route and eventually entered bypass on the fix in question.

More incidents for this aircraft family →

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.