An A320 flight crew fails to cross fuzzy intersection at the assigned altitude when they do not detect a drop out of the vertical navigation information in their FMS programming. ZLA, ca.

Home

Browse by month

Random

Latest

About

Contact

Attributes
ACN	469700
Time
Date	200004
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	intersection : fuzzy
State Reference	NV
Altitude	msl bound lower : 16000 msl bound upper : 18000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zla.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival star : fuzzy four
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 3500
ASRS Report	469700
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : undershoot altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Third leg of a 4 leg trip. Flight from sfo to las. Crossing restr dropped from the FMGC and we were late in getting aircraft to cross fuzzy intersection at 16000 ft. Tried to contact center 3 times prior to reaching fuzzy to let them know we would be unable to make restr. They did not answer us until 4TH radio transmission. They were speaking with las approach and were aware of our altitude problem. We crossed fuzzy at FL180 in lieu of 16000 ft. They then issued a turning vector and a new altitude of 11000 ft, and stated 'do the best we can' in getting aircraft down. The mood and tone of voice indicated that this was no big problem. We complied with all further communications and aircraft landed in las without further complications.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN A320 FLC FAILS TO CROSS FUZZY INTXN AT THE ASSIGNED ALT WHEN THEY DO NOT DETECT A DROP OUT OF THE VERT NAV INFO IN THEIR FMS PROGRAMMING. ZLA, CA.

Narrative: THIRD LEG OF A 4 LEG TRIP. FLT FROM SFO TO LAS. XING RESTR DROPPED FROM THE FMGC AND WE WERE LATE IN GETTING ACFT TO CROSS FUZZY INTXN AT 16000 FT. TRIED TO CONTACT CTR 3 TIMES PRIOR TO REACHING FUZZY TO LET THEM KNOW WE WOULD BE UNABLE TO MAKE RESTR. THEY DID NOT ANSWER US UNTIL 4TH RADIO XMISSION. THEY WERE SPEAKING WITH LAS APCH AND WERE AWARE OF OUR ALT PROB. WE CROSSED FUZZY AT FL180 IN LIEU OF 16000 FT. THEY THEN ISSUED A TURNING VECTOR AND A NEW ALT OF 11000 FT, AND STATED 'DO THE BEST WE CAN' IN GETTING ACFT DOWN. THE MOOD AND TONE OF VOICE INDICATED THAT THIS WAS NO BIG PROB. WE COMPLIED WITH ALL FURTHER COMS AND ACFT LANDED IN LAS WITHOUT FURTHER COMPLICATIONS.

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.