ACFT EQUIP PROB. FCU (FLT CTL UNIT); #1 AND #2 FAILED. RESULTED IN LOSS OF AUTOPLT; FLT DIRECTORS; ALT ALERT. FLC REQUESTED AND RECEIVED VECTORS FROM ATC AND; SINCE THE WX WAS GOOD; WERE ABLE TO MAKE A NORMAL APCH AND LNDG.
Synopsis
ACFT EQUIP PROB. FCU (FLT CTL UNIT); #1 AND #2 FAILED. RESULTED IN LOSS OF AUTOPLT; FLT DIRECTORS; ALT ALERT. FLC REQUESTED AND RECEIVED VECTORS FROM ATC AND; SINCE THE WX WAS GOOD; WERE ABLE TO MAKE A NORMAL APCH AND LNDG.
Narrative
ACFT HAD BEEN BROUGHT FROM HANGAR. SEVERAL MAINT RELATED ITEMS WERE ADDRESSED BY TECHNICIANS AS WE BEGAN PREFLT ACTIVITIES. FCU RESET WAS ONE ITEM NOTED BY CREW. ABEAM GEG; THE FOLLOWING ECAM MESSAGES DISPLAYED: AUTO FLT FCU 1+2; AUTO FLT AP OFF; AUTO FLT A/THR OFF. NO CORRECTIVE PROC WAS APPLICABLE; ACFT HAND FLOWN TO SEA. CTR AND APCH CTL PROVIDED VECTORS TO RELIEVE WORKLOAD; AS ALL HDG; ALT; AND SPD INFO WAS LOST. VISUAL APCH WAS CONDUCTED AT SEA. LEAD FLT ATTENDANT WAS ADVISED OF SIT; BUT NO ACTION WAS REQUIRED BY FLT ATTENDANTS. DISPATCH AND MAINT CTL WERE CONSULTED WITH NO RECOMMENDATIONS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR CAPT WAS GIVING IOE TO A NEWLY QUALIFIED CAPT ON THE A320. PRIOR TO THIS FLT RPTR HAD BROUGHT IN ANOTHER ACFT WITH FAILED BLEEDS AND A DECOMPRESSION. BECAUSE THEY HAD TO GET ANOTHER ACFT ON SHORT NOTICE; RPTR'S COMPANY BROUGHT AN ACFT FROM THE HANGAR. ACCORDING TO THE RPTR; THE ACFT HAD ITEMS WHICH HAD NOT BEEN FIXED; BUT MAINT WORKED FAST TO GET THEM CORRECTED. ONE OF THE ITEMS WAS AN FCU PROB; BUT MAINT WAS ABLE TO RESET IT AND ALL APPEARED TO BE NORMAL. IN THE RPTR NARRATIVE HE STATED THAT HE HAD LOST HDG; ALT AND SPD INFO; BUT ON CALLBACK CLARIFIED THAT TO LOSS OF THE PRIMARY FLT INSTS. ALL STANDBY INFO WAS STILL GOOD PLUS MUCH OF THE PFD AND NAV DISPLAY. RPTR DID NOT TRY TO RESET THE FCU IN FLT BECAUSE IT WAS AGAINST COMPANY POLICY; PLUS HE HAD ENOUGH FLT INST INFO TO CONTINUE AS IN A CONVENTIONAL ACFT. HE STRESSED THE IMPORTANCE OF HUMAN FACTORS IN AN INCIDENT OF THIS TYPE. FLCS FLYING A SOPHISTICATED ACFT LEARN HOW TO USE THE ADVANCED SYS AND DEPEND ON THEM; BUT THEN WHEN THOSE SYS ARE LOST OR PARTIALLY LOST IT CREATES A GREAT DEAL OF STRESS AND CONFUSION. AN EXAMPLE RPTR MENTIONED WAS THAT THE ND (NAV DISPLAY) DEFAULTED TO THE 80 MI SCALE. THAT WAS OF NO USE TO THE FLC AT THE TIME BECAUSE THEY WERE STILL 240 MI FROM THEIR NEXT POINT ON THE NAV DISPLAY. ALSO; NOT HAVING AN ALT SET WINDOW OR ALERT REQUIRED WRITING DOWN THE ALT CLRNCS AND WATCHING CAREFULLY TO INSURE THE ALT LEVEL OFF.
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Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.