AN ECLIPSE 500 WITH 10 TOTAL AIRFRAME HRS HAD THE GPS AND AUTOPLT FAIL AT FL270. A PLT DEV WAS FILED WHEN THE DISTRACTED PILOT ALLOWED THE ACFT TO CLB 300 FT.

2008-08 · NASA ASRS report 802384

Date: 2008-08 · Aircraft: Eclipse 500 · Phase: cruise

Anomalies: aircraft-equipment-problem-less-severe|deviation-altitude-excursion-from-assigned-altitude|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-clearance

Synopsis

AN ECLIPSE 500 WITH 10 TOTAL AIRFRAME HRS HAD THE GPS AND AUTOPLT FAIL AT FL270. A PLT DEV WAS FILED WHEN THE DISTRACTED PILOT ALLOWED THE ACFT TO CLB 300 FT.

Narrative

IN THE CRUISE PHASE OF FLT AT FL270 DURING MENTORING OF A RATED EA500S PLT; MULTIPLE AVIONICS MALFUNCTIONS OCCURRED CAUSING THE ACFT TO MOMENTARILY PITCH UP AND CLB 300 FT IN PCA. AT XA00Z WE EXPERIENCED A GPS 2 FAIL. AT XA34Z WE OBSERVED AN AIRSPD DISAGREEMENT; AND AT XA43 WE NO LONGER HAD AN AUTOPLT; WHICH RESULTED IN A DEV OF 300 FT IN PCA. WE WERE BUSY SORTING OUT THE AUTOPLT FAILURES AND AS SOON AS WE NOTICED THE DEV WE CORRECTED. THIS AIRPLANE IS AN ALREADY BUSY WORKLOAD WHEN EVERYTHING WORKS; BUT IT IS AN ESPECIALLY DIFFICULT SINGLE PLT AIRPLANE WHEN THINGS GO WRONG. THIS WAS A BRAND NEW AIRPLANE WITH ONLY 10 HRS TOTAL TIME AIRFRAME; WITH A HISTORY OF AVIONICS PROBS EARLIER IN THE DAY. WE WERE CLRED BY ECLIPSE MAINT TO FLY AFTER CLRING THE 'AVIONICS DATA BUS FAIL' MESSAGE BY SHUTTING DOWN AND RESTARTING (KNOWN AS 'CTL-ALT-DEL'). ECLIPSE INDICATED THIS WAS A 'NUISANCE' MESSAGE. HISTORICALLY; ATC WOULD BRING SOMETHING OF THIS NATURE TO THE PLT'S ATTN AND HE WOULD CORRECT WITH NO FURTHER ACTION. THE FAA IS NOW MANDATING CTLRS ESCALATE EVERY DEV TO THE FAA FOR DISPENSATION. THIS PLACES AN UNDUE ADDITIONAL WORKLOAD ON THE CTLR; FORCING THEM UNDER DURESS TO BE 'COPS IN THE SKY.' IT ALSO CREATES TENSION BTWN THE PLT; CTLR; AND FAA WHICH IN MY OBSERVATION IS COUNTERPRODUCTIVE TO SAFETY. IN MY HUMBLE OPINION; EDUCATION IS A FAR BETTER TOOL THAN BEING PUNITIVE.

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

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