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A320 aircraft on approach and apparently not properly set up for the approach was given a go around by the approach controller. The go around was initiated, but without toga thrust until the captain reporter told the first officer to use toga. At that time, unknown to the flight crew, the aircraft changed modes and ignored the previous inputs set into the FMGC.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 366354 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199704 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : dtw |
| State Reference | MI |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : dtw |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | A320 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | Other Other |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 2000 |
| ASRS Report | 366354 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other anomaly other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
Due to deteriorating WX conditions and abnormally high winds at altitude versus on the ground, dtw approach control directed a go around: maintain 3000 ft, turn left 220 degrees and speed of 170 KTS. I recommended to the first officer to go to the toga then back to climb to resequence the FMGC for the additional approach. The aircraft started climbing, disregarding the 3000 ft FCU altitude. I disconnected the autoplt and took control of the aircraft to return it to 3000 ft. The first officer said watch your airspeed which was rapidly increasing. The FMGC is supposed to honor the approach speed (140 KTS) or FCU selected airspeed (170 KTS) whichever is higher. It disregarded both. I disconnected the autothrust and retarded the thrust levers. Apparently the FMGC stuck in the go around phase even though the thrust levers were in the climb descent. In retrospect what was unsettling was how long it took to recognize the problem than deal with it. In know our FMGC's have been experiencing numerous problems which have gotten worse over time. I don't know if this had anything to do with the above problem.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A320 ACFT ON APCH AND APPARENTLY NOT PROPERLY SET UP FOR THE APCH WAS GIVEN A GAR BY THE APCH CTLR. THE GAR WAS INITIATED, BUT WITHOUT TOGA THRUST UNTIL THE CAPT RPTR TOLD THE FO TO USE TOGA. AT THAT TIME, UNKNOWN TO THE FLC, THE ACFT CHANGED MODES AND IGNORED THE PREVIOUS INPUTS SET INTO THE FMGC.
Narrative: DUE TO DETERIORATING WX CONDITIONS AND ABNORMALLY HIGH WINDS AT ALT VERSUS ON THE GND, DTW APCH CTL DIRECTED A GAR: MAINTAIN 3000 FT, TURN L 220 DEGS AND SPD OF 170 KTS. I RECOMMENDED TO THE FO TO GO TO THE TOGA THEN BACK TO CLB TO RESEQUENCE THE FMGC FOR THE ADDITIONAL APCH. THE ACFT STARTED CLBING, DISREGARDING THE 3000 FT FCU ALT. I DISCONNECTED THE AUTOPLT AND TOOK CTL OF THE ACFT TO RETURN IT TO 3000 FT. THE FO SAID WATCH YOUR AIRSPD WHICH WAS RAPIDLY INCREASING. THE FMGC IS SUPPOSED TO HONOR THE APCH SPD (140 KTS) OR FCU SELECTED AIRSPD (170 KTS) WHICHEVER IS HIGHER. IT DISREGARDED BOTH. I DISCONNECTED THE AUTOTHRUST AND RETARDED THE THRUST LEVERS. APPARENTLY THE FMGC STUCK IN THE GAR PHASE EVEN THOUGH THE THRUST LEVERS WERE IN THE CLB DSCNT. IN RETROSPECT WHAT WAS UNSETTLING WAS HOW LONG IT TOOK TO RECOGNIZE THE PROB THAN DEAL WITH IT. IN KNOW OUR FMGC'S HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING NUMEROUS PROBS WHICH HAVE GOTTEN WORSE OVER TIME. I DON'T KNOW IF THIS HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE ABOVE PROB.
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.