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Multiple navigation equipment failures cause pilot to give an erroneous position report when requested by ARTCC because of radar contact loss.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 518622 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200107 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| State Reference | MS |
| Altitude | msl single value : 20000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zhu.artcc |
| Operator | general aviation : corporate |
| Make Model Name | PA-31T-1 Cheyenne I |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Navigation In Use | other vortac |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : corporate |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 58 flight time total : 7800 flight time type : 1400 |
| ASRS Report | 518622 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued advisory flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : overcame equipment problem |
| Consequence | other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
Narrative:
During the flight early this morning to dts, fl, #1 transponder stop working, however #2 transponder was still working. When leaving destin for columbia, ms (0r0), ZJX cleared us to FL200 and direct 0r0. Just prior to reaching gcv VOR, we were handed off to ZHU. Shortly thereafter, both DME failed and the second transponder failed. ZHU said 'radar contact lost' what is your position in relation to gcv? I centered the #2 navigation CDI needle and gave a quick position report. When I looked back at the #2 VOR, it had flagged, thus making the position report wrong. The aircraft was within 7 mi of the gcv VOR at this time. Center questioned this position report and issued a clearance direct to gcv VOR, victor 11 to pican intersection V222 eaton VOR (lby) then direct 0r0. After reaching the gcv VOR, I simply flew the clearance as issued and the rest of the flight was normal. The thing I learned from this experience is that any time a particular piece of equipment fails on an airplane, fix it now. One transponder not working is not problem until #2 quits and then add dual DME failures and a flagged VOR and things can turn into a real mess.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: MULTIPLE NAV EQUIP FAILURES CAUSE PLT TO GIVE AN ERRONEOUS POS RPT WHEN REQUESTED BY ARTCC BECAUSE OF RADAR CONTACT LOSS.
Narrative: DURING THE FLT EARLY THIS MORNING TO DTS, FL, #1 XPONDER STOP WORKING, HOWEVER #2 XPONDER WAS STILL WORKING. WHEN LEAVING DESTIN FOR COLUMBIA, MS (0R0), ZJX CLRED US TO FL200 AND DIRECT 0R0. JUST PRIOR TO REACHING GCV VOR, WE WERE HANDED OFF TO ZHU. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, BOTH DME FAILED AND THE SECOND XPONDER FAILED. ZHU SAID 'RADAR CONTACT LOST' WHAT IS YOUR POS IN RELATION TO GCV? I CTRED THE #2 NAV CDI NEEDLE AND GAVE A QUICK POS RPT. WHEN I LOOKED BACK AT THE #2 VOR, IT HAD FLAGGED, THUS MAKING THE POS RPT WRONG. THE ACFT WAS WITHIN 7 MI OF THE GCV VOR AT THIS TIME. CTR QUESTIONED THIS POS RPT AND ISSUED A CLRNC DIRECT TO GCV VOR, VICTOR 11 TO PICAN INTXN V222 EATON VOR (LBY) THEN DIRECT 0R0. AFTER REACHING THE GCV VOR, I SIMPLY FLEW THE CLRNC AS ISSUED AND THE REST OF THE FLT WAS NORMAL. THE THING I LEARNED FROM THIS EXPERIENCE IS THAT ANY TIME A PARTICULAR PIECE OF EQUIP FAILS ON AN AIRPLANE, FIX IT NOW. ONE XPONDER NOT WORKING IS NOT PROB UNTIL #2 QUITS AND THEN ADD DUAL DME FAILURES AND A FLAGGED VOR AND THINGS CAN TURN INTO A REAL MESS.
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.