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37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
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A piper PA23-250 had GPS installed with switch to toggle between VOR GPS. Switch not listed on FAA form 337 or flight manual. Pilot owner cautioned against use of switch in IMC.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 590014 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200308 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | msl single value : 8000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | PA-23-250 Aztec |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Navigation In Use | other |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 3700 flight time type : 500 |
| ASRS Report | 590014 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | maintenance : technician |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : improper documentation non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure |
| Independent Detector | other other : person 1 |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | other |
| Factors | |
| Maintenance | contributing factor : manuals performance deficiency : installation performance deficiency : testing performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements performance deficiency : logbook entry |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Maintenance Human Performance Chart Or Publication Aircraft |
| Primary Problem | Chart Or Publication |
| Situations | |
| Publication | Flt Manual |
Narrative:
GPS navigation system observed by avionics repair technician and recommended no flight in IMC until repaired. En route home from a 1 week vacation, encountered IMC at 8000 ft MSL. Condition observed was the existence of a switch to toggle GPS between VOR/GPS mode that was not indicated on the 337 form or flight manual supplement provided by the installer of the GPS. Avionics technician's opinion was that it is (or may be) unsafe since there is no record on the 337 form or flight manual supplement provided with the installation. Avionics technician also advised local FSDO of condition. We plan to obtain another opinion from a 3RD avionics repair facility before making any material changes to the current installation.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A PIPER PA23-250 HAD GPS INSTALLED WITH SWITCH TO TOGGLE BTWN VOR GPS. SWITCH NOT LISTED ON FAA FORM 337 OR FLT MANUAL. PLT OWNER CAUTIONED AGAINST USE OF SWITCH IN IMC.
Narrative: GPS NAV SYS OBSERVED BY AVIONICS REPAIR TECHNICIAN AND RECOMMENDED NO FLT IN IMC UNTIL REPAIRED. ENRTE HOME FROM A 1 WK VACATION, ENCOUNTERED IMC AT 8000 FT MSL. CONDITION OBSERVED WAS THE EXISTENCE OF A SWITCH TO TOGGLE GPS BTWN VOR/GPS MODE THAT WAS NOT INDICATED ON THE 337 FORM OR FLT MANUAL SUPPLEMENT PROVIDED BY THE INSTALLER OF THE GPS. AVIONICS TECHNICIAN'S OPINION WAS THAT IT IS (OR MAY BE) UNSAFE SINCE THERE IS NO RECORD ON THE 337 FORM OR FLT MANUAL SUPPLEMENT PROVIDED WITH THE INSTALLATION. AVIONICS TECHNICIAN ALSO ADVISED LCL FSDO OF CONDITION. WE PLAN TO OBTAIN ANOTHER OPINION FROM A 3RD AVIONICS REPAIR FACILITY BEFORE MAKING ANY MATERIAL CHANGES TO THE CURRENT INSTALLATION.
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.