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A B737-800 flight crew programs their FMS for an anticipated STAR arrival and are surprised, as is ATC, when the aircraft turns towards the initial fix on the STAR, deviating from their fpr direct to mroc, first officer.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 474724 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200006 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | intersection : ulapo |
| State Reference | FO |
| Altitude | msl single value : 26000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : mhtg.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737-800 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | other |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 140 flight time type : 1000 |
| ASRS Report | 474724 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time total : 90 flight time type : 400 |
| ASRS Report | 475210 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to intended or assigned course |
| 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:
Near mid VOR, cleared direct ulapo on ua-502, flight plan says dct after ulapo. The expected arrival was entered in the FMC for a parza arrival with the liberia (lib VOR) transition. A discontinuity (or space) was left between ulapo and lib. This discontinuity somehow was closed up during the flight. During descent after ulapo, the aircraft turned for lib instead of direct mroc. Stopped descent at FL260 for traffic. Much confusion with cenmar ATC, mhtg, on reason for turn. He thought it was for WX. Cleared direct mroc, and proceeded on arrival and descent to landing. Placing an expected arrival in the FMC. Helps reduce workload during descent, but if the route becomes activated before you are cleared by ATC, the workload you were trying to reduce becomes greater and resulting confusion takes you away from 'flying the aircraft.'
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A B737-800 FLC PROGRAMS THEIR FMS FOR AN ANTICIPATED STAR ARR AND ARE SURPRISED, AS IS ATC, WHEN THE ACFT TURNS TOWARDS THE INITIAL FIX ON THE STAR, DEVIATING FROM THEIR FPR DIRECT TO MROC, FO.
Narrative: NEAR MID VOR, CLRED DIRECT ULAPO ON UA-502, FLT PLAN SAYS DCT AFTER ULAPO. THE EXPECTED ARR WAS ENTERED IN THE FMC FOR A PARZA ARR WITH THE LIBERIA (LIB VOR) TRANSITION. A DISCONTINUITY (OR SPACE) WAS LEFT BTWN ULAPO AND LIB. THIS DISCONTINUITY SOMEHOW WAS CLOSED UP DURING THE FLT. DURING DSCNT AFTER ULAPO, THE ACFT TURNED FOR LIB INSTEAD OF DIRECT MROC. STOPPED DSCNT AT FL260 FOR TFC. MUCH CONFUSION WITH CENMAR ATC, MHTG, ON REASON FOR TURN. HE THOUGHT IT WAS FOR WX. CLRED DIRECT MROC, AND PROCEEDED ON ARR AND DSCNT TO LNDG. PLACING AN EXPECTED ARR IN THE FMC. HELPS REDUCE WORKLOAD DURING DSCNT, BUT IF THE RTE BECOMES ACTIVATED BEFORE YOU ARE CLRED BY ATC, THE WORKLOAD YOU WERE TRYING TO REDUCE BECOMES GREATER AND RESULTING CONFUSION TAKES YOU AWAY FROM 'FLYING THE ACFT.'
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.