 |
37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
A B717 captain reports ground spoiler damage may be occurring from inadvertent extension in flight. Due to detent position and no aural alert.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 575101 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200302 |
| Day | Fri |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zzz.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B717 (Formerly MD-95) |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | descent : intermediate altitude |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time total : 10000 |
| ASRS Report | 575101 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance Chart Or Publication Aircraft |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
Narrative:
Damage to spoilers from in-flight utilization may have multiple contributing factors. Pilots may be extending ground spoilers in-flight without intending to us more than flight spoilers. The detent is very slight between the 2 position, barely perceptible and without the aural 'speed brake' warning that occurs if the takeoff warning system is tested on the ground with spoilers not down. Although there is a level zero, blue (cyan) alert displayed at the base of display unit 3, it is hard to notice when in a descent and clearing for traffic. Additionally, the warning is about 1/3 inches high and right next to the cyan level blue light 'seatbelt.' this is illustrated below. The above is offered as a contributing factor as to how this condition might occur. At this time, no suggestions on why the spoilers are ripping away from the wing bos. Aside from structural shortcomings, this non-aural alert might at some point contribute to a landing accident.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A B717 CAPT RPTS GND SPOILER DAMAGE MAY BE OCCURRING FROM INADVERTENT EXTENSION IN FLT. DUE TO DETENT POS AND NO AURAL ALERT.
Narrative: DAMAGE TO SPOILERS FROM INFLT UTILIZATION MAY HAVE MULTIPLE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS. PLTS MAY BE EXTENDING GND SPOILERS INFLT WITHOUT INTENDING TO US MORE THAN FLT SPOILERS. THE DETENT IS VERY SLIGHT BTWN THE 2 POS, BARELY PERCEPTIBLE AND WITHOUT THE AURAL 'SPD BRAKE' WARNING THAT OCCURS IF THE TKOF WARNING SYS IS TESTED ON THE GND WITH SPOILERS NOT DOWN. ALTHOUGH THERE IS A LEVEL ZERO, BLUE (CYAN) ALERT DISPLAYED AT THE BASE OF DISPLAY UNIT 3, IT IS HARD TO NOTICE WHEN IN A DSCNT AND CLRING FOR TFC. ADDITIONALLY, THE WARNING IS ABOUT 1/3 INCHES HIGH AND RIGHT NEXT TO THE CYAN LEVEL BLUE LIGHT 'SEATBELT.' THIS IS ILLUSTRATED BELOW. THE ABOVE IS OFFERED AS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR AS TO HOW THIS CONDITION MIGHT OCCUR. AT THIS TIME, NO SUGGESTIONS ON WHY THE SPOILERS ARE RIPPING AWAY FROM THE WING BOS. ASIDE FROM STRUCTURAL SHORTCOMINGS, THIS NON-AURAL ALERT MIGHT AT SOME POINT CONTRIBUTE TO A LNDG ACCIDENT.
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.