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|
Attributes | |
ACN | 1677625 |
Time | |
Date | 201908 |
Local Time Of Day | 0601-1200 |
Place | |
Locale Reference | ZOB.ARTCC |
State Reference | OH |
Environment | |
Flight Conditions | VMC |
Aircraft 1 | |
Make Model Name | A320 |
Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
Flight Phase | Descent |
Route In Use | Direct |
Flight Plan | IFR |
Component | |
Aircraft Component | FMS/FMC |
Person 1 | |
Function | Captain Pilot Flying |
Qualification | Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP) Flight Crew Instrument Flight Crew Multiengine |
Experience | Flight Crew Total 25000 |
Events | |
Anomaly | Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe Deviation - Procedural Published Material / Policy Deviation - Procedural Clearance Deviation - Track / Heading All Types |
Narrative:
We experienced two known software anomalies on this flight that without pilot intervention could have caused a deviation. On arrival verification during descent; we discovered that an erroneous routing was entered by the FMC that would have caused a 110 [degree] turn off course from way point grohl for runway 6L cle. This was caused by the FMC software entering an approach transition due to a common arrival fix. While we were correcting this error by deleting the approach via; we discovered the FMC had computed an incorrect descent path for a crossing restriction at janys. The FMC and displays erroneously showed the crossing restriction would be made while the computed path would have crossed the fix high. This was corrected by receiving an amended ATC clearance deleting the crossing restriction. These are both known FMC software anomalies and we have received training on the software faults and the potential to cause route and altitude deviations. There is an F4 message on every flight release indicating the potential for the erroneous path computation to cause an altitude deviation. These software faults have existed for years and have caused many altitude and route deviations. We have been informed that airbus software faults will be corrected in a future software update. I am submitting this as soon as possible because these software faults continue to degrade safety by continuing to cause potential route and altitude deviations and unnecessarily distracting pilots by increasing workload. The airbus software should be updated as soon as possible!
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A320-200 Captain reported ongoing software problems that cause navigation and altitude deviations.
Narrative: We experienced two known software anomalies on this flight that without pilot intervention could have caused a deviation. On arrival verification during descent; we discovered that an erroneous routing was entered by the FMC that would have caused a 110 [degree] turn off course from way point GROHL for Runway 6L CLE. This was caused by the FMC software entering an approach transition due to a common arrival fix. While we were correcting this error by deleting the approach via; we discovered the FMC had computed an incorrect descent path for a crossing restriction at JANYS. The FMC and displays erroneously showed the crossing restriction would be made while the computed path would have crossed the fix high. This was corrected by receiving an amended ATC clearance deleting the crossing restriction. These are both known FMC software anomalies and we have received training on the software faults and the potential to cause route and altitude deviations. There is an F4 message on every flight release indicating the potential for the erroneous path computation to cause an altitude deviation. These software faults have existed for years and have caused many altitude and route deviations. We have been informed that Airbus software faults will be corrected in a future software update. I am submitting this ASAP because these software faults continue to degrade safety by continuing to cause potential route and altitude deviations and unnecessarily distracting pilots by increasing workload. The Airbus software should be updated ASAP!
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.