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A B737-200 captain has uncertainty of autoplt performance on ILS capture mode but makes no write-up for 3 legs.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 508581 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200104 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737-200 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | ground : parked |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 4000 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 2500 |
| ASRS Report | 508581 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | other |
| Consequence | other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
I had cause to suspect the system due to poor performance I experienced from the system on my first leg as PF. I was not certain that the autoplt was to blame, however, because it could have been caused by the ILS at that airport (interference) or by my own use of the system, I had used 'manual' to attain the capture. Since I had time, on the ground at the airport, I called a mechanic and discussed the problem, but they don't do -200 autoplts there. So I decided to try it again, on the way to phx, to obtain more of a certainty regarding the source of the possible problem -- me, the airport equipment, or the autoplt. As it turned out, I didn't get a chance to check out the system on either of the last 2 legs, due to no ILS at phx runway 8 and at bur due to task saturation (traffic, circling to runway 15, etc). Turning the plane over to the relieving captain at phx, I mentioned my observations regarding the autoplt and again had called for mechanic. I was requested to make a logbook entry by this captain and did so. In retrospect, I should not have made an entry since I was not certain that the system was at fault. It may appear that I was 'carrying' the discrepancy, but in my mind I was not sufficiently certain that a problem existed. I should have made this more clear to the oncoming captain.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A B737-200 CAPT HAS UNCERTAINTY OF AUTOPLT PERFORMANCE ON ILS CAPTURE MODE BUT MAKES NO WRITE-UP FOR 3 LEGS.
Narrative: I HAD CAUSE TO SUSPECT THE SYS DUE TO POOR PERFORMANCE I EXPERIENCED FROM THE SYS ON MY FIRST LEG AS PF. I WAS NOT CERTAIN THAT THE AUTOPLT WAS TO BLAME, HOWEVER, BECAUSE IT COULD HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY THE ILS AT THAT ARPT (INTERFERENCE) OR BY MY OWN USE OF THE SYS, I HAD USED 'MANUAL' TO ATTAIN THE CAPTURE. SINCE I HAD TIME, ON THE GND AT THE ARPT, I CALLED A MECH AND DISCUSSED THE PROB, BUT THEY DON'T DO -200 AUTOPLTS THERE. SO I DECIDED TO TRY IT AGAIN, ON THE WAY TO PHX, TO OBTAIN MORE OF A CERTAINTY REGARDING THE SOURCE OF THE POSSIBLE PROB -- ME, THE ARPT EQUIP, OR THE AUTOPLT. AS IT TURNED OUT, I DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO CHK OUT THE SYS ON EITHER OF THE LAST 2 LEGS, DUE TO NO ILS AT PHX RWY 8 AND AT BUR DUE TO TASK SATURATION (TFC, CIRCLING TO RWY 15, ETC). TURNING THE PLANE OVER TO THE RELIEVING CAPT AT PHX, I MENTIONED MY OBSERVATIONS REGARDING THE AUTOPLT AND AGAIN HAD CALLED FOR MECH. I WAS REQUESTED TO MAKE A LOGBOOK ENTRY BY THIS CAPT AND DID SO. IN RETROSPECT, I SHOULD NOT HAVE MADE AN ENTRY SINCE I WAS NOT CERTAIN THAT THE SYS WAS AT FAULT. IT MAY APPEAR THAT I WAS 'CARRYING' THE DISCREPANCY, BUT IN MY MIND I WAS NOT SUFFICIENTLY CERTAIN THAT A PROB EXISTED. I SHOULD HAVE MADE THIS MORE CLR TO THE ONCOMING CAPT.
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.