A319 CAPT HAS ISSUES WITH FO FFDO REGARDING CAPT'S AUTHORITY AND REMOVES HIMSELF FROM THE TRIP.

2008-09 · NASA ASRS report 802803

Date: 2008-09 · Aircraft: A319 · Phase: ground

Anomalies: deviation-discrepancy-procedural-published-material-policy

Synopsis

A319 CAPT HAS ISSUES WITH FO FFDO REGARDING CAPT'S AUTHORITY AND REMOVES HIMSELF FROM THE TRIP.

Narrative

FO IS AN FFDO. DURING PREBRIEF I INCLUDED A BRIEFING WITH REGARD TO FLIGHT THREAT LEVEL RESPONSE (LEVEL 4). I ALSO BRIEFED I WOULD ASSIGN FO THE FLYING PILOT DUTIES IN ACCORDANCE WITH PILOT HANDBOOK. FO STATED HE WAS UNABLE TO COMPLY WITH MY BRIEF. FO'S NONCOMPLIANCE WITH REGULATIONS AS WELL AS HIS INTENDED DEVIATIONS FROM COMPANY POLICIES AND PROCEDURES (FOUND IN THE FOM) INDICATED TO ME THIS WAS A IMPENDING FLIGHT SAFETY ISSUE. I REMOVED MYSELF FROM THE FLIGHT. DESPITE REPEATED EFFORTS ON MY PART; THRU THIS VENUE; THE FOM FAILS TO RECOGNIZE THE ROLE FFDO'S PLAY IN CAPTAIN'S AUTHORITY; CAPTAIN'S EMERGENCY AUTHORITY; AND THE COCKPIT BREACH PROCEDURE. A SUBORDINATE PILOT ASSUMES COMPLETE AUTHORITY WITHOUT A MENTION IN THE FOM; YET RESPONSIBILITY REMAINS WITH THE CAPTAIN. HOW CAN I REMAIN RESPONSIBLE FOR ACTIONS NOT AUTHORIZED OR UNDERSTOOD BY ME? I SIMPLY FEEL THE FOM SHOULD REFLECT THE REALITY OF OUR ENVIRONMENT. AS THE CAPTAIN; I AM LEFT HANGING WITH THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE FFDO'S ACTIONS. AT LEAST ACCORDING TO THE FOM. MODIFY THE FOM TO ABSOLVE THE CAPTAIN FROM FFDO ACTIONS BY INCORPORATING PROCEDURES THAT REFLECT WHO DOES WHAT WHEN. IT CAN'T BE THAT HARD. OTHERWISE THIS SAFETY OF FLIGHT ISSUE REMAINS.

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

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