An en route A320 flight crew works with company maintenance and dispatch to determine if the ECAM me...

Attributes
ACN	555192
Time
Date	200207
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	intersection : halie
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl single value : 20000
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	555192
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : improper documentation other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : ecam display other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : provided flight assist flight crew : landed in emergency condition flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	other other
Factors
Maintenance	performance deficiency : testing performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements performance deficiency : logbook entry performance deficiency : fault isolation performance deficiency : inspection
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Maintenance Human Performance Company Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

While en route on a scheduled passenger flight from ind to ord, an ECAM message 'brake steering control unit channel 1 fault' was displayed. The brake steering control unit is a dual channel unit that controls normal wheel braking, antiskid, and nosewheel steering. Brake steering control unit channel 2 was deferred inoperative. Dispatch was called by radio and maintenance control was patched in a 3-WAY conversation. Maintenance control first asked us to cycle the antiskid and nosewheel steering switch -- no help. Then asked us to pull and reset 2 circuit breakers that control brake steering control unit channel 1 -- no help. Even though brake steering control unit channel 2 was deferred inoperative, there was no associated ECAM message to support this, nor did a status recall message display indicate that a brake steering control unit channel 2 not functioning. After discussion with maintenance control and dispatch, we concluded that if brake steering control unit channel 2 continued to work, we could expect to land with normal brakes and steering. If it failed, we would have no normal brakes, antiskid, or nosewheel steering. We declared an emergency with ATC, asked to have crash fire rescue equipment meet the aircraft upon landing, and briefed the chief purser (cabin advisory) about our condition, to expect a normal landing with no preparation for evacuate/evacuation necessary. We continued to ord and made a normal landing, after which crash fire rescue equipment inspected the landing gear, wheels and brakes, and found no damage. Taxi to the gate was normal, and without further incident. Crew communication and coordination was excellent throughout the entire event. Great job by everyone!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ENRTE A320 FLC WORKS WITH COMPANY MAINT AND DISPATCH TO DETERMINE IF THE ECAM MESSAGE REGARDING A 'BRAKE STEERING CTL UNIT CHANNEL 1 FAULT,' WHILE THEIR BRAKE STEERING CTL UNIT CHANNEL 2 WAS MEL DEFERRED, WAS GOING TO CREATE A MAJOR NOSE GEAR PROB ON LNDG AT ORD, IL.

Narrative: WHILE ENRTE ON A SCHEDULED PAX FLT FROM IND TO ORD, AN ECAM MESSAGE 'BRAKE STEERING CTL UNIT CHANNEL 1 FAULT' WAS DISPLAYED. THE BRAKE STEERING CTL UNIT IS A DUAL CHANNEL UNIT THAT CTLS NORMAL WHEEL BRAKING, ANTISKID, AND NOSEWHEEL STEERING. BRAKE STEERING CTL UNIT CHANNEL 2 WAS DEFERRED INOP. DISPATCH WAS CALLED BY RADIO AND MAINT CTL WAS PATCHED IN A 3-WAY CONVERSATION. MAINT CTL FIRST ASKED US TO CYCLE THE ANTISKID AND NOSEWHEEL STEERING SWITCH -- NO HELP. THEN ASKED US TO PULL AND RESET 2 CIRCUIT BREAKERS THAT CTL BRAKE STEERING CTL UNIT CHANNEL 1 -- NO HELP. EVEN THOUGH BRAKE STEERING CTL UNIT CHANNEL 2 WAS DEFERRED INOP, THERE WAS NO ASSOCIATED ECAM MESSAGE TO SUPPORT THIS, NOR DID A STATUS RECALL MESSAGE DISPLAY INDICATE THAT A BRAKE STEERING CTL UNIT CHANNEL 2 NOT FUNCTIONING. AFTER DISCUSSION WITH MAINT CTL AND DISPATCH, WE CONCLUDED THAT IF BRAKE STEERING CTL UNIT CHANNEL 2 CONTINUED TO WORK, WE COULD EXPECT TO LAND WITH NORMAL BRAKES AND STEERING. IF IT FAILED, WE WOULD HAVE NO NORMAL BRAKES, ANTISKID, OR NOSEWHEEL STEERING. WE DECLARED AN EMER WITH ATC, ASKED TO HAVE CFR MEET THE ACFT UPON LNDG, AND BRIEFED THE CHIEF PURSER (CABIN ADVISORY) ABOUT OUR CONDITION, TO EXPECT A NORMAL LNDG WITH NO PREPARATION FOR EVAC NECESSARY. WE CONTINUED TO ORD AND MADE A NORMAL LNDG, AFTER WHICH CFR INSPECTED THE LNDG GEAR, WHEELS AND BRAKES, AND FOUND NO DAMAGE. TAXI TO THE GATE WAS NORMAL, AND WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. CREW COM AND COORD WAS EXCELLENT THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE EVENT. GREAT JOB BY EVERYONE!

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.