Flight crew of air carrier widebody transport aircraft flight crew deviated from assigned track due ...

Attributes
ACN	226753
Time
Date	199211
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : dpk
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6000 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zny
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 20000 flight time type : 160
ASRS Report	226753
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

A possible collision course occurred because the PF did not follow instructions from ATC, and the other 2 pilots were busy discussing an event that had just caused the aircraft to make a rapid (not emergency) descent from FL390 to 10000 ft. I suspect the PF was paying attention to the discussion more than the course to be flown. The aircraft was on vectors at 41000 ft for descent. Passing through FL370, the #2 engine bleed valve faulted while following the ECAM procedure, the #1 engine bleed valve faulted. Both packs tripped and the cabin began to rise. Requested descent to FL240 and then to 10000 ft when it became apparent that we would not regain control of the cabin. Cabin rose to 11800 ft. No oxygen masks were deployed in cabin. After further descent to 6000 ft on 160 degree heading, we were cleared direct to dpk VOR. Copilot was flying and captain was going over the just performed rapid descent with the relief officer when the captain noticed that we were still on a 160 degree heading. He called ATC and stated we were still on 160 degree heading and ATC said to go direct to dpk. A few seconds later ATC said to turn quickly left to 90 degrees and descend to 5000 ft. No other aircraft was mentioned, but I suspect a collision course was averted by the turn and descent. It was a case of all pilots involved in the post-descent discussion and no one flying the aircraft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF ACR WDB ACFT FLC DEVIATED FROM ASSIGNED TRACK DUE TO A RAPID DSCNT FOR A CABIN PRESSURIZATION PROBLEM.

Narrative: A POSSIBLE COLLISION COURSE OCCURRED BECAUSE THE PF DID NOT FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS FROM ATC, AND THE OTHER 2 PLTS WERE BUSY DISCUSSING AN EVENT THAT HAD JUST CAUSED THE ACFT TO MAKE A RAPID (NOT EMER) DSCNT FROM FL390 TO 10000 FT. I SUSPECT THE PF WAS PAYING ATTN TO THE DISCUSSION MORE THAN THE COURSE TO BE FLOWN. THE ACFT WAS ON VECTORS AT 41000 FT FOR DSCNT. PASSING THROUGH FL370, THE #2 ENG BLEED VALVE FAULTED WHILE FOLLOWING THE ECAM PROC, THE #1 ENG BLEED VALVE FAULTED. BOTH PACKS TRIPPED AND THE CABIN BEGAN TO RISE. REQUESTED DSCNT TO FL240 AND THEN TO 10000 FT WHEN IT BECAME APPARENT THAT WE WOULD NOT REGAIN CTL OF THE CABIN. CABIN ROSE TO 11800 FT. NO OXYGEN MASKS WERE DEPLOYED IN CABIN. AFTER FURTHER DSCNT TO 6000 FT ON 160 DEG HDG, WE WERE CLRED DIRECT TO DPK VOR. COPLT WAS FLYING AND CAPT WAS GOING OVER THE JUST PERFORMED RAPID DSCNT WITH THE RELIEF OFFICER WHEN THE CAPT NOTICED THAT WE WERE STILL ON A 160 DEG HDG. HE CALLED ATC AND STATED WE WERE STILL ON 160 DEG HDG AND ATC SAID TO GO DIRECT TO DPK. A FEW SECONDS LATER ATC SAID TO TURN QUICKLY L TO 90 DEGS AND DSND TO 5000 FT. NO OTHER ACFT WAS MENTIONED, BUT I SUSPECT A COLLISION COURSE WAS AVERTED BY THE TURN AND DSCNT. IT WAS A CASE OF ALL PLTS INVOLVED IN THE POST-DSCNT DISCUSSION AND NO ONE FLYING THE ACFT.

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.

Flight crew of air carrier widebody transport aircraft flight crew deviated from assigned track due to a rapid descent for a cabin pressurization problem.