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An embraer 145 in climb at 7000 ft had both course deviation needles oscillate 30-60 degrees right and left continuously and rapidly.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 418204 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199810 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : sbj |
| State Reference | NJ |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 7000 msl bound upper : 12000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : sfo |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Embraer Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | Other |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude |
| Route In Use | departure other enroute airway : n90 |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 2600 flight time type : 550 |
| ASRS Report | 418207 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : commercial |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 700 |
| ASRS Report | 418206 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other controllera other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
Given direct sbj VOR on departure from ewr (ewr 6 departure over biggy intersection). Both CDI needles were unreliable, 30-60 degree oscillations both directions. ATC advised our position 5 mi south of course. This is a common problem with these aircraft. As an everyday occurrence this could lead to potential lack of separation. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the aircraft was an embraer 145 and the VOR problem is existing throughout the fleet. The reporter said both VOR deviation needles oscillated left and right rapidly and greater than 2 dots on the indicators. The reporter said maintenance believes the problem is water related and some relief is obtained by draining the antennas. The reporter stated when the needles are malfunctioning the compass system is operating normally. The reporter said if the autoplt is engaged in the VOR mode the autoplt attempts to follow the needles but then disconnects. The reporter stated the manufacturer of the antenna and VOR receiver is not known.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN EMBRAER 145 IN CLB AT 7000 FT HAD BOTH COURSE DEV NEEDLES OSCILLATE 30-60 DEGS R AND L CONTINUOUSLY AND RAPIDLY.
Narrative: GIVEN DIRECT SBJ VOR ON DEP FROM EWR (EWR 6 DEP OVER BIGGY INTXN). BOTH CDI NEEDLES WERE UNRELIABLE, 30-60 DEG OSCILLATIONS BOTH DIRECTIONS. ATC ADVISED OUR POS 5 MI S OF COURSE. THIS IS A COMMON PROB WITH THESE ACFT. AS AN EVERYDAY OCCURRENCE THIS COULD LEAD TO POTENTIAL LACK OF SEPARATION. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE ACFT WAS AN EMBRAER 145 AND THE VOR PROB IS EXISTING THROUGHOUT THE FLEET. THE RPTR SAID BOTH VOR DEV NEEDLES OSCILLATED L AND R RAPIDLY AND GREATER THAN 2 DOTS ON THE INDICATORS. THE RPTR SAID MAINT BELIEVES THE PROB IS WATER RELATED AND SOME RELIEF IS OBTAINED BY DRAINING THE ANTENNAS. THE RPTR STATED WHEN THE NEEDLES ARE MALFUNCTIONING THE COMPASS SYS IS OPERATING NORMALLY. THE RPTR SAID IF THE AUTOPLT IS ENGAGED IN THE VOR MODE THE AUTOPLT ATTEMPTS TO FOLLOW THE NEEDLES BUT THEN DISCONNECTS. THE RPTR STATED THE MANUFACTURER OF THE ANTENNA AND VOR RECEIVER IS NOT KNOWN.
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.