ACR MLG TRACK HDG DEV ON STAR INTO DCA.

1991-10 · NASA ASRS report 191677

Date: 1991-10 · Aircraft: Medium Large Transport; Low Wing; 2 Turbojet Eng

Anomalies: aircraft-equipment-problem-less-severe|deviation-track-heading-all-types|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-clearance|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-published-material-policy

Synopsis

ACR MLG TRACK HDG DEV ON STAR INTO DCA.

Narrative

ON ARR INTO DCA APPROX 50-60 MI S OF DCA ON THE IRONS 2 STAR; CTLR AT ZDC ADVISED US WE WERE HDG NE AWAY FROM THE ARR RTE AND ABOUT 5 MI FROM THE CENTERLINE OF THE RADIAL INBOUND TO DCA. PREVIOUS TO THIS; I HAD DISCUSSED WITH MY FO THAT THE RADIAL WAS REQUIRING A LOT OF WIND CORRECTION TO THE R AND THAT IT WAS STRANGE THAT AT THE HIGHER ALTS THE WIND WAS FROM THE L. THEN JUST SECONDS AFTER THAT CONVERSATION; THE CTLR MENTIONED OUR POS AS STATED ABOVE. IT BECAME VERY APPARENT BY COMPARING MY VOR TO MY FO'S VOR THAT MINE WAS NOT READING CORRECT AND IN FACT WAS INOP. THERE WAS NO FLAG OR CHANGE ON THE TO-FROM INDICATOR. I RECHANNELED THE RADIO AND EVEN PECKED ON THE FACE AT THE HSI AND NEEDLE REMAINED STUCK WITH NEEDLE 3/4 SCALE TO THE R. PRIOR TO LNDG IT BECAME UNSTUCK. THE SITUATION EVEN BECAME MORE DIFFICULT BY THE FACT MY FO DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THAT I WANTED THE CTLR TO BE AWARE OF THE NAV FAILURE. THE CTLR THEN GAVE US A FREQ CHANGE AND FO WAS AT A TOTAL LOSS OF THE NEED TO ADVISE THE CTLR ON THE FREQ WE NOW JUST LEFT. THIS FO COMPLICATED THE SITUATION AT A VERY BUSY TIME BY HIS INABILITY TO FOLLOW DIRECTIONS GIVEN TO HIM BY ME. THIS FO HAS DEMONSTRATED PROBLEMS ON MANY PREVIOUS TRIPS AND FLTS. ON THIS PARTICULAR TRIP I HAD DISCUSSED THE PROBLEMS IN THE COCKPIT WITH HIM ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS AND STILL HE WAS NOT PERFORMING WELL. HIS PERFORMANCE ALONG WITH THIS NAV RECEIVER MADE A BAD SITUATION EVEN WORSE. HE ADMITTED THAT HE FELT THAT HE HAD FAILED TO DO AS INSTRUCTED. THEREFORE; I FEEL THAT THE UNDETECTED NAV FAILURE AND THE FAILURE OF NAV WARNING FLAG ALONG WITH FO NOT FOLLOWING INSTRUCTIONS TO NOTIFY ATC WHEN HE WAS DIRECTED; LEFT THE CTLR TO BELIEVE PLT ERROR WAS THE REASON FOR SUCH DEV FROM THE STAR CENTERLINE. THE COCKPIT BECAME VERY BUSY THEREAFTER AND LEFT NO TIME TO RECONTACT PREVIOUS CTLR TO EXPLAIN THE PROBLEM. CTLR WAS NOTIFIED ON THE NEXT FREQ. I HAD HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH OTHER CAPTS ABOUT THIS FO ON OCCASIONS AND THE SAME CONCLUSIONS ABOUT HIS PERFORMANCE WAS ALSO RPTED BY THOSE I SPOKE TO ABOUT HIM.

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

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