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A decision to return (inoperative radar) was reversed after fuel dumping. The flight crew continued, in conflict with flight operations manual and MEL, and required priority handling (minimum fuel) at destination.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 301541 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199504 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : bet |
| State Reference | AK |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 31000 msl bound upper : 31000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zan |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | MD-11 |
| Navigation In Use | Other Other |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Route In Use | enroute : other oceanic enroute : pacific enroute airway : zan |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 9800 |
| ASRS Report | 301541 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : cfi pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 1000 |
| ASRS Report | 301509 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | non adherence : far non adherence other other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
We were dispatched to rjaa with 1 operating radar system. That system failed after entering the nopac route R220. A review of our company flight operations manual, MEL and far 121.357 was understood by the crew to dictate a return to anc which was only 50 mins back. The company was contacted via arinc for instructions. The initial response was to return to anc. A 180 degree turn was requested for possible return and fuel dump. ATC approved both and the dumping was begun. Approximately 1 1/2 mins after starting the fuel dump, we received an ACARS message that we were legal to continue to rjaa. The dump was secured and a new release was requested. We continued to rjaa uneventfully, but blocked in with 13200 pounds of fuel remaining. Because of fuel situation, we requested priority handling upon arrival, ie, no delays. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the first officer indicates that he advocated returning to anc, but complied with captain's decision to follow a flight manager's ACARS message to continue. Reporter believes that the difference of opinions regarding this situation, stem from a difference in corporate cultures. The first officer states that he has considerable experience with a company that operated in the nopac. As a result, first officer held a strong position regarding equipment requirements and fuel and WX considerations. Winds were higher than forecast, and upon arrival at narita, holding was in progress. The flight crew requested priority handling due to the critical fuel situation in the md- 11. Supplemental information from acn 301509: approximately 7000 pounds dumped. Further communication from company stated 'legal to continue to destination.' flight then obtained flight release and ATC clearance to original destination rjaa (narita, japan).
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A DECISION TO RETURN (INOP RADAR) WAS REVERSED AFTER FUEL DUMPING. THE FLC CONTINUED, IN CONFLICT WITH FLT OPS MANUAL AND MEL, AND REQUIRED PRIORITY HANDLING (MINIMUM FUEL) AT DEST.
Narrative: WE WERE DISPATCHED TO RJAA WITH 1 OPERATING RADAR SYS. THAT SYS FAILED AFTER ENTERING THE NOPAC RTE R220. A REVIEW OF OUR COMPANY FLT OPS MANUAL, MEL AND FAR 121.357 WAS UNDERSTOOD BY THE CREW TO DICTATE A RETURN TO ANC WHICH WAS ONLY 50 MINS BACK. THE COMPANY WAS CONTACTED VIA ARINC FOR INSTRUCTIONS. THE INITIAL RESPONSE WAS TO RETURN TO ANC. A 180 DEG TURN WAS REQUESTED FOR POSSIBLE RETURN AND FUEL DUMP. ATC APPROVED BOTH AND THE DUMPING WAS BEGUN. APPROX 1 1/2 MINS AFTER STARTING THE FUEL DUMP, WE RECEIVED AN ACARS MESSAGE THAT WE WERE LEGAL TO CONTINUE TO RJAA. THE DUMP WAS SECURED AND A NEW RELEASE WAS REQUESTED. WE CONTINUED TO RJAA UNEVENTFULLY, BUT BLOCKED IN WITH 13200 LBS OF FUEL REMAINING. BECAUSE OF FUEL SIT, WE REQUESTED PRIORITY HANDLING UPON ARR, IE, NO DELAYS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE FO INDICATES THAT HE ADVOCATED RETURNING TO ANC, BUT COMPLIED WITH CAPT'S DECISION TO FOLLOW A FLT MGR'S ACARS MESSAGE TO CONTINUE. RPTR BELIEVES THAT THE DIFFERENCE OF OPINIONS REGARDING THIS SIT, STEM FROM A DIFFERENCE IN CORPORATE CULTURES. THE FO STATES THAT HE HAS CONSIDERABLE EXPERIENCE WITH A COMPANY THAT OPERATED IN THE NOPAC. AS A RESULT, FO HELD A STRONG POS REGARDING EQUIP REQUIREMENTS AND FUEL AND WX CONSIDERATIONS. WINDS WERE HIGHER THAN FORECAST, AND UPON ARR AT NARITA, HOLDING WAS IN PROGRESS. THE FLC REQUESTED PRIORITY HANDLING DUE TO THE CRITICAL FUEL SIT IN THE MD- 11. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 301509: APPROX 7000 LBS DUMPED. FURTHER COM FROM COMPANY STATED 'LEGAL TO CONTINUE TO DEST.' FLT THEN OBTAINED FLT RELEASE AND ATC CLRNC TO ORIGINAL DEST RJAA (NARITA, JAPAN).
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.