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The captain of an A300, against the advice of his first officer, performed unauthorized troubleshooting procedures to ascertain the cause of an airframe vibration.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 557315 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200208 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : rdu.airport |
| State Reference | NC |
| Altitude | msl single value : 29000 |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zdc.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | A300 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine |
| ASRS Report | 557315 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : company policies non adherence : published procedure non adherence other other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
While en route to bos, captain noticed a vibration in the airframe, both N1 and N2 vibration detectors for both engines indicated 1.0 or less. Captain decided to descend to FL290 and turn off the bleeds and packs for each engine one at a time in order to troubleshoot the source of the vibration. I told captain that I did not like the idea and thought we should stick with company procedure for engine vibration. Captain insisted that it was perfectly safe to do and proceeded over my objections. Prior to reducing the airplane to a single bleed operation, I donned my oxygen mask to ensure that 1 pilot was on oxygen in the event of pressure loss. Flight manual 'authority/authorized abnormal procedures' specifically forbids performing troubleshooting or unauthorized procedures except in an emergency. No emergency was declared. I also filed a report. Captain thought it not necessary to file it.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: THE CAPT OF AN A300, AGAINST THE ADVICE OF HIS FO, PERFORMED UNAUTH TROUBLESHOOTING PROCS TO ASCERTAIN THE CAUSE OF AN AIRFRAME VIBRATION.
Narrative: WHILE ENRTE TO BOS, CAPT NOTICED A VIBRATION IN THE AIRFRAME, BOTH N1 AND N2 VIBRATION DETECTORS FOR BOTH ENGS INDICATED 1.0 OR LESS. CAPT DECIDED TO DSND TO FL290 AND TURN OFF THE BLEEDS AND PACKS FOR EACH ENG ONE AT A TIME IN ORDER TO TROUBLESHOOT THE SOURCE OF THE VIBRATION. I TOLD CAPT THAT I DID NOT LIKE THE IDEA AND THOUGHT WE SHOULD STICK WITH COMPANY PROC FOR ENG VIBRATION. CAPT INSISTED THAT IT WAS PERFECTLY SAFE TO DO AND PROCEEDED OVER MY OBJECTIONS. PRIOR TO REDUCING THE AIRPLANE TO A SINGLE BLEED OP, I DONNED MY OXYGEN MASK TO ENSURE THAT 1 PLT WAS ON OXYGEN IN THE EVENT OF PRESSURE LOSS. FLT MANUAL 'AUTH ABNORMAL PROCS' SPECIFICALLY FORBIDS PERFORMING TROUBLESHOOTING OR UNAUTH PROCS EXCEPT IN AN EMER. NO EMER WAS DECLARED. I ALSO FILED A RPT. CAPT THOUGHT IT NOT NECESSARY TO FILE IT.
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.