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An A320 crew, descending into phx, neglected to turn the seat belt sign on prior to entering moderate turbulence.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 544796 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200204 |
| Day | Fri |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : pxr.vortac |
| State Reference | AZ |
| Altitude | msl single value : 8000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : p50.tracon |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | A320 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | other |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 130 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 1500 |
| ASRS Report | 544796 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | inflight encounter : turbulence non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure non adherence : company policies other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
Much is made of protecting pilots from the insidious and superstitious effects of fatigue on flight safety. However, my company shows total disregard for circadian rhythms and other related issues that are a structural impediment to safety that are correctable by management. I felt that the first officer and I were in good shape and alert. However, on descent mental errors began to snowball. On the descent flow the PF missed turning on the seat belt sign. We subsequently descended through moderate turbulence. I had anticipated this possibility and had ordered the flight attendants to take their seats. When I called back to check on them, they first advised that the seat belt sign was off. The PF later spun the airspeed dial thinking it was the heading knob. The PNF missed the seat belt sign during the descent/approach checks. He also called traffic and the airport in sight, without coordinating with the other pilot after being briefed to do so during the pre-trip briefing. It creeps up on you -- fatigue is an ugly thing.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN A320 CREW, DSNDING INTO PHX, NEGLECTED TO TURN THE SEAT BELT SIGN ON PRIOR TO ENTERING MODERATE TURB.
Narrative: MUCH IS MADE OF PROTECTING PLTS FROM THE INSIDIOUS AND SUPERSTITIOUS EFFECTS OF FATIGUE ON FLT SAFETY. HOWEVER, MY COMPANY SHOWS TOTAL DISREGARD FOR CIRCADIAN RHYTHMS AND OTHER RELATED ISSUES THAT ARE A STRUCTURAL IMPEDIMENT TO SAFETY THAT ARE CORRECTABLE BY MGMNT. I FELT THAT THE FO AND I WERE IN GOOD SHAPE AND ALERT. HOWEVER, ON DSCNT MENTAL ERRORS BEGAN TO SNOWBALL. ON THE DSCNT FLOW THE PF MISSED TURNING ON THE SEAT BELT SIGN. WE SUBSEQUENTLY DSNDED THROUGH MODERATE TURB. I HAD ANTICIPATED THIS POSSIBILITY AND HAD ORDERED THE FLT ATTENDANTS TO TAKE THEIR SEATS. WHEN I CALLED BACK TO CHK ON THEM, THEY FIRST ADVISED THAT THE SEAT BELT SIGN WAS OFF. THE PF LATER SPUN THE AIRSPD DIAL THINKING IT WAS THE HEADING KNOB. THE PNF MISSED THE SEAT BELT SIGN DURING THE DSCNT/APCH CHKS. HE ALSO CALLED TFC AND THE ARPT IN SIGHT, WITHOUT COORDINATING WITH THE OTHER PLT AFTER BEING BRIEFED TO DO SO DURING THE PRE-TRIP BRIEFING. IT CREEPS UP ON YOU -- FATIGUE IS AN UGLY THING.
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.