Narrative:

Incorrect airbus FMGC LNAV procedure on WAGGE1.wagge departure from runway 16R rno. Original flight plan was 'rno..fmg..J94 bam, etc' WAGGE1.wagge. Fmg transition initially loaded into FMGC. Subsequent clearance was the WAGGE1.wagge llc transition. Due to initial captain operating experience (first PF leg) and discussing several unrelated data entry errors on other FMGC pages did not remember to update transition. (Workload management issues.) many interruptions during cockpit setup and briefing (irregular operations). The wagge 1 departure requires aircraft to cross the wagge intersection at or above 10000 ft. However, the FMGC in LNAV mode directed a very early left turn (about 8 DME versus 13 DME) and well below 10000 ft (approximately 9000 ft). The PNF pointed out the LNAV error, reset autoflt to heading mode, then direct to wagge. The remainder of the llc transition was flown via raw data. Had it been IFR and the crew blindly followed the flight director, we would have had a CFIT incident. This early turn due to geometry (160 degree left turn) is a known problem with the FMGC -- same issue with the guc IFR departures. Recommend airbus fly only the TAHOE1.tahoe departure or require the use of the overfly feature at the WAGGE1 intersection using the wagge procedure.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN A320 CREW DEPARTING RNO HAD THE WRONG SID TRANSITION PROGRAMMED INTO THE FMGC, ACFT STARTED TURN PREMATURELY, 5 DME TOO SOON, 1000 FT TOO LOW.

Narrative: INCORRECT AIRBUS FMGC LNAV PROC ON WAGGE1.WAGGE DEP FROM RWY 16R RNO. ORIGINAL FLT PLAN WAS 'RNO..FMG..J94 BAM, ETC' WAGGE1.WAGGE. FMG TRANSITION INITIALLY LOADED INTO FMGC. SUBSEQUENT CLRNC WAS THE WAGGE1.WAGGE LLC TRANSITION. DUE TO INITIAL CAPT OPERATING EXPERIENCE (FIRST PF LEG) AND DISCUSSING SEVERAL UNRELATED DATA ENTRY ERRORS ON OTHER FMGC PAGES DID NOT REMEMBER TO UPDATE TRANSITION. (WORKLOAD MGMNT ISSUES.) MANY INTERRUPTIONS DURING COCKPIT SETUP AND BRIEFING (IRREGULAR OPS). THE WAGGE 1 DEP REQUIRES ACFT TO CROSS THE WAGGE INTXN AT OR ABOVE 10000 FT. HOWEVER, THE FMGC IN LNAV MODE DIRECTED A VERY EARLY L TURN (ABOUT 8 DME VERSUS 13 DME) AND WELL BELOW 10000 FT (APPROX 9000 FT). THE PNF POINTED OUT THE LNAV ERROR, RESET AUTOFLT TO HEADING MODE, THEN DIRECT TO WAGGE. THE REMAINDER OF THE LLC TRANSITION WAS FLOWN VIA RAW DATA. HAD IT BEEN IFR AND THE CREW BLINDLY FOLLOWED THE FLT DIRECTOR, WE WOULD HAVE HAD A CFIT INCIDENT. THIS EARLY TURN DUE TO GEOMETRY (160 DEG L TURN) IS A KNOWN PROB WITH THE FMGC -- SAME ISSUE WITH THE GUC IFR DEPS. RECOMMEND AIRBUS FLY ONLY THE TAHOE1.TAHOE DEP OR REQUIRE THE USE OF THE OVERFLY FEATURE AT THE WAGGE1 INTXN USING THE WAGGE PROC.

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.