<< >> NASA ASRS Report 261646, January 1994

Flight plan filed for overwater operation when aircraft equipment required for operation not on board.

Attributes
ACN	261646
Time
Date	199401
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : msy
State Reference	LA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 33000 msl bound upper : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zhu
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel other personnel other
Qualification	other
ASRS Report	261646
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

The airline is modifying non-overwater aircraft with life vests so that they can operate the J58 over the gulf of mexico. When the modification is completed, an entry is made in the aircraft maintenance record in the computer. This notifies the flight planning system that the aircraft can be routed over J58. (Otherwise, the airway is automatically blocked). On a flight from dfw to tpa, one of these aircraft was routed over J58. Near new orleans the flight contacted me and wanted to make sure they could fly over the gulf. I rechked the aircraft maintenance record and verified that the modification had been done. The crew then physically checked and discovered that no life vests were aboard. The captain refiled over a land route to tampa. When the flight landed the captain had a mechanic verify that no vests were aboard. Fortunately, the flight had sufficient fuel to fly the overland route and the WX was not a factor. The 2 biggest problems were that maintenance either performed the modification incorrectly or the individual responsible for entering the data made a mistake. Secondly, I believe the crew should have determined if vests were aboard prior to nearing the coast, if they were not sure about their presence. The company is now verifying modification procedures and checking aircraft already modified.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT PLAN FILED FOR OVERWATER OP WHEN ACFT EQUIP REQUIRED FOR OP NOT ON BOARD.

Narrative: THE AIRLINE IS MODIFYING NON-OVERWATER ACFT WITH LIFE VESTS SO THAT THEY CAN OPERATE THE J58 OVER THE GULF OF MEXICO. WHEN THE MODIFICATION IS COMPLETED, AN ENTRY IS MADE IN THE ACFT MAINT RECORD IN THE COMPUTER. THIS NOTIFIES THE FLT PLANNING SYS THAT THE ACFT CAN BE ROUTED OVER J58. (OTHERWISE, THE AIRWAY IS AUTOMATICALLY BLOCKED). ON A FLT FROM DFW TO TPA, ONE OF THESE ACFT WAS ROUTED OVER J58. NEAR NEW ORLEANS THE FLT CONTACTED ME AND WANTED TO MAKE SURE THEY COULD FLY OVER THE GULF. I RECHKED THE ACFT MAINT RECORD AND VERIFIED THAT THE MODIFICATION HAD BEEN DONE. THE CREW THEN PHYSICALLY CHKED AND DISCOVERED THAT NO LIFE VESTS WERE ABOARD. THE CAPT REFILED OVER A LAND RTE TO TAMPA. WHEN THE FLT LANDED THE CAPT HAD A MECH VERIFY THAT NO VESTS WERE ABOARD. FORTUNATELY, THE FLT HAD SUFFICIENT FUEL TO FLY THE OVERLAND RTE AND THE WX WAS NOT A FACTOR. THE 2 BIGGEST PROBS WERE THAT MAINT EITHER PERFORMED THE MODIFICATION INCORRECTLY OR THE INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBLE FOR ENTERING THE DATA MADE A MISTAKE. SECONDLY, I BELIEVE THE CREW SHOULD HAVE DETERMINED IF VESTS WERE ABOARD PRIOR TO NEARING THE COAST, IF THEY WERE NOT SURE ABOUT THEIR PRESENCE. THE COMPANY IS NOW VERIFYING MODIFICATION PROCS AND CHKING ACFT ALREADY MODIFIED.

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.