Narrative:

I was on duty as first officer for flight from dca to dtw. We were cleared to intercept ILS 3R localizer in dtw at 3000 ft on a 010 degree heading and told to fly 170 KTS until OM. Our A319 had just captured the 3000 ft altitude, approach push button was armed for the approach and we were approximately 14 mi from the runway. Autoplt #1 was activated with autothrust also activated. Approach mode was activated and speed 170 KTS selected. Within 2 or 3 seconds of arming the approach, the A319 thrust went to toga and initiated a steep climb. The captain surveyed the situation, and decided to disengage the autoplt and autothrust. We had climbed to approximately 4500 ft before taking control of the aircraft and descended back to 3000 ft. Once on the ground we made several phone calls to training department. The people in training thought that this was a problem of the past. Apparently the A319 will do exactly what I described when the aircraft is more than 10 mi from the runway. It sensed a GS well above the aircraft altitude, and made inputs to intercept. Training thought the software was changed, and so they do not emphasize this type of scenario during training. A bulletin describing this to airbus pilots is needed as well as changes to the software. Supplemental information from acn 542335: after talking to our technical support people, they informed me that this is a known defect in A319's and that airbus suggests that you not arm the ILS until near the OM.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN A319 CREW, ON APCH TO DTW, EXPERIENCED AN UNEXPLAINED THRUST INCREASE AND CLB WHEN AUTOFLT SYS ARMED TO FLY THE APCH.

Narrative: I WAS ON DUTY AS FO FOR FLT FROM DCA TO DTW. WE WERE CLRED TO INTERCEPT ILS 3R LOC IN DTW AT 3000 FT ON A 010 DEG HDG AND TOLD TO FLY 170 KTS UNTIL OM. OUR A319 HAD JUST CAPTURED THE 3000 FT ALT, APCH PUSH BUTTON WAS ARMED FOR THE APCH AND WE WERE APPROX 14 MI FROM THE RWY. AUTOPLT #1 WAS ACTIVATED WITH AUTOTHRUST ALSO ACTIVATED. APCH MODE WAS ACTIVATED AND SPD 170 KTS SELECTED. WITHIN 2 OR 3 SECONDS OF ARMING THE APCH, THE A319 THRUST WENT TO TOGA AND INITIATED A STEEP CLB. THE CAPT SURVEYED THE SIT, AND DECIDED TO DISENGAGE THE AUTOPLT AND AUTOTHRUST. WE HAD CLBED TO APPROX 4500 FT BEFORE TAKING CTL OF THE ACFT AND DSNDED BACK TO 3000 FT. ONCE ON THE GND WE MADE SEVERAL PHONE CALLS TO TRAINING DEPT. THE PEOPLE IN TRAINING THOUGHT THAT THIS WAS A PROB OF THE PAST. APPARENTLY THE A319 WILL DO EXACTLY WHAT I DESCRIBED WHEN THE ACFT IS MORE THAN 10 MI FROM THE RWY. IT SENSED A GS WELL ABOVE THE ACFT ALT, AND MADE INPUTS TO INTERCEPT. TRAINING THOUGHT THE SOFTWARE WAS CHANGED, AND SO THEY DO NOT EMPHASIZE THIS TYPE OF SCENARIO DURING TRAINING. A BULLETIN DESCRIBING THIS TO AIRBUS PLTS IS NEEDED AS WELL AS CHANGES TO THE SOFTWARE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 542335: AFTER TALKING TO OUR TECHNICAL SUPPORT PEOPLE, THEY INFORMED ME THAT THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT IN A319'S AND THAT AIRBUS SUGGESTS THAT YOU NOT ARM THE ILS UNTIL NEAR THE OM.

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.