Air carrier aircraft with automated cockpit turns early on SID. Controller catches error.

Attributes
ACN	200768
Time
Date	199202
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : phx
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1000 msl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : phx
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Route In Use	departure sid : sid
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 4800 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	200768
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Copilot for large transport buckeye 9 SID runway 8L at kphx. Aircraft had just gotten airborne, was on autoplt and in managed (computer) navigation. Problem: aircraft turned 4 NM east of kphx (runway) vice 4 NM east of pxr (VOR) to 190 degree heading as required by SID. Obvious mistake, controller questioned turn, immediate investigation by pilots saw error and made apology. Controller replied 'no problem' in the future use pxr vice phx for referencing turn to south. Rest of SID flown without incident. In reconstruction of why computer navigation made turn, only conclusion drawn was that database when selecting buckeye 9 SID at kphx, provided all points and course legs but pxr navigation point was not in flight management control unit flight plan page as a point. Reason for omission is unknown. Navigation display 'looked' correct (plan form) when visually compared to commercial chart. In fact, turn occurred so quick that proper referencing to VOR (raw data) was not done. Aircraft flew what was in the computer but what was in the computer (flight plan) was wrong. Again reason for omission of pxr point is unknown. Fundamentally, large transport air crews only have to be absolutely 100% sure that each leg of FMC flight plan is correct from 'point to next point.' no safety of flight concern arose from this situation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR ACFT WITH AUTOMATED COCKPIT TURNS EARLY ON SID. CTLR CATCHES ERROR.

Narrative: COPLT FOR LGT BUCKEYE 9 SID RWY 8L AT KPHX. ACFT HAD JUST GOTTEN AIRBORNE, WAS ON AUTOPLT AND IN MANAGED (COMPUTER) NAV. PROBLEM: ACFT TURNED 4 NM E OF KPHX (RWY) VICE 4 NM E OF PXR (VOR) TO 190 DEG HDG AS REQUIRED BY SID. OBVIOUS MISTAKE, CTLR QUESTIONED TURN, IMMEDIATE INVESTIGATION BY PLTS SAW ERROR AND MADE APOLOGY. CTLR REPLIED 'NO PROBLEM' IN THE FUTURE USE PXR VICE PHX FOR REFING TURN TO S. REST OF SID FLOWN WITHOUT INCIDENT. IN RECONSTRUCTION OF WHY COMPUTER NAV MADE TURN, ONLY CONCLUSION DRAWN WAS THAT DATABASE WHEN SELECTING BUCKEYE 9 SID AT KPHX, PROVIDED ALL POINTS AND COURSE LEGS BUT PXR NAV POINT WAS NOT IN FLT MGMNT CTL UNIT FLT PLAN PAGE AS A POINT. REASON FOR OMISSION IS UNKNOWN. NAV DISPLAY 'LOOKED' CORRECT (PLAN FORM) WHEN VISUALLY COMPARED TO COMMERCIAL CHART. IN FACT, TURN OCCURRED SO QUICK THAT PROPER REFING TO VOR (RAW DATA) WAS NOT DONE. ACFT FLEW WHAT WAS IN THE COMPUTER BUT WHAT WAS IN THE COMPUTER (FLT PLAN) WAS WRONG. AGAIN REASON FOR OMISSION OF PXR POINT IS UNKNOWN. FUNDAMENTALLY, LGT AIR CREWS ONLY HAVE TO BE ABSOLUTELY 100% SURE THAT EACH LEG OF FMC FLT PLAN IS CORRECT FROM 'POINT TO NEXT POINT.' NO SAFETY OF FLT CONCERN AROSE FROM THIS SITUATION.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 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.