 |
37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
An A320 captain diverts to mmcu, chihuahua, mexico when the #2 engine loses its oil quantity. The flight had lost 2-WAY communication via ACARS with dispatch and maintenance, being able to send but not receive messages.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 430125 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199902 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| State Reference | FO |
| Altitude | msl single value : 35000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : mmzt.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | A320 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Route In Use | enroute airway : uj5.airway |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | other personnel oversight : coordinator |
| Qualification | other |
| ASRS Report | 430125 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa other other : disp 1 |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance flight crew : landed in emergency condition flight crew : diverted to another airport |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft Environmental Factor |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
Narrative:
I took over dispatch sector and was responsible for air carrier airlines flight mex-sfo. No significant WX en route. At AB38Z I got ACARS message from flight saying engine #2 oil quantity went to zero and they tried/sent 2 messages to sfo maintenance. I called maintenance and they confirmed receiving messages from aircraft but were unable to send messages. Approximately AB40Z I got ACARS message saying flight will divert to cuu. At AB43Z I sent a series of ACARS messages to aircraft via commercial radio and sita, asking to confirm divert, and if #2 engine was shut down. Per company procedure, I contacted our mexico operations office to arrange handling at cuu. I quickly checked WX/NOTAMS at cuu, no problem, VFR. And at AC16Z sent message to tower to confirm on/in times of AC00/AC05. Aircraft made uneventful landing. As I see it, the problem from the dispatcher's standpoint, was loss of reliable communication between dispatcher and captain. I had to proceed on basis of a cryptic ACARS message. At this time, day, and position, there was a dead spot. Satellite communication or HF radio would have been a nice backup. As it was, I proceeded with assumption of diversion to cuu, and started process of notification of dispatch manager, and people here, verified WX was no factor, and initiated handling at cuu through our mexico operations.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN A320 CAPT DIVERTS TO MMCU, CHIHUAHUA, MEXICO WHEN THE #2 ENG LOSES ITS OIL QUANTITY. THE FLT HAD LOST 2-WAY COM VIA ACARS WITH DISPATCH AND MAINT, BEING ABLE TO SEND BUT NOT RECEIVE MESSAGES.
Narrative: I TOOK OVER DISPATCH SECTOR AND WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR ACR AIRLINES FLT MEX-SFO. NO SIGNIFICANT WX ENRTE. AT AB38Z I GOT ACARS MESSAGE FROM FLT SAYING ENG #2 OIL QUANTITY WENT TO ZERO AND THEY TRIED/SENT 2 MESSAGES TO SFO MAINT. I CALLED MAINT AND THEY CONFIRMED RECEIVING MESSAGES FROM ACFT BUT WERE UNABLE TO SEND MESSAGES. APPROX AB40Z I GOT ACARS MESSAGE SAYING FLT WILL DIVERT TO CUU. AT AB43Z I SENT A SERIES OF ACARS MESSAGES TO ACFT VIA COMMERCIAL RADIO AND SITA, ASKING TO CONFIRM DIVERT, AND IF #2 ENG WAS SHUT DOWN. PER COMPANY PROC, I CONTACTED OUR MEXICO OPS OFFICE TO ARRANGE HANDLING AT CUU. I QUICKLY CHKED WX/NOTAMS AT CUU, NO PROB, VFR. AND AT AC16Z SENT MESSAGE TO TWR TO CONFIRM ON/IN TIMES OF AC00/AC05. ACFT MADE UNEVENTFUL LNDG. AS I SEE IT, THE PROB FROM THE DISPATCHER'S STANDPOINT, WAS LOSS OF RELIABLE COM BTWN DISPATCHER AND CAPT. I HAD TO PROCEED ON BASIS OF A CRYPTIC ACARS MESSAGE. AT THIS TIME, DAY, AND POS, THERE WAS A DEAD SPOT. SATELLITE COM OR HF RADIO WOULD HAVE BEEN A NICE BACKUP. AS IT WAS, I PROCEEDED WITH ASSUMPTION OF DIVERSION TO CUU, AND STARTED PROCESS OF NOTIFICATION OF DISPATCH MGR, AND PEOPLE HERE, VERIFIED WX WAS NO FACTOR, AND INITIATED HANDLING AT CUU THROUGH OUR MEXICO OPS.
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.