<< >> NASA ASRS Report 597388, October 2003

A320 flight crew deviates from clearance due to improper database in the FMC and complacency in reviewing NOTAMS prior to departure from MMMX.

Attributes
ACN	597388
Time
Date	200310
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mmmx.airport
State Reference	FO
Altitude	msl single value : 35000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : mmex.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other other vortac
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	597388
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : issued advisory flight crew : returned to intended or assigned course
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Did not review en route NOTAMS. Was cleared direct to qet. Controller advised us that we may have wrong frequency for qet, and gave us a frequency of 115.7 and a heading. FMC had a new, but not yet activated, frequency of 113.0. VOR is being moved, and there is a 10 NM difference between present and new site. Controller advised us that all air carrier X airbuses are making the same mistake. No significant outcome. A review of en route NOTAMS revealed this premature VOR frequency change in the FMC. A predep review of the en route NOTAMS would have prevented this occurrence. Since according to ATC, this is a common occurrence, air carrier should either put out an e-mail to all airbus flight crews, or place a large note on the counter in mex operations. All this should be done in addition to the en route NOTAM. Also, this highlights the point that many pilots need to be reminded of the importance of reviewing en route NOTAMS prior to departure.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A320 FLT CREW DEVIATES FROM CLRNC DUE TO IMPROPER DATABASE IN THE FMC AND COMPLACENCY IN REVIEWING NOTAMS PRIOR TO DEP FROM MMMX.

Narrative: DID NOT REVIEW ENRTE NOTAMS. WAS CLRED DIRECT TO QET. CTLR ADVISED US THAT WE MAY HAVE WRONG FREQ FOR QET, AND GAVE US A FREQ OF 115.7 AND A HDG. FMC HAD A NEW, BUT NOT YET ACTIVATED, FREQ OF 113.0. VOR IS BEING MOVED, AND THERE IS A 10 NM DIFFERENCE BTWN PRESENT AND NEW SITE. CTLR ADVISED US THAT ALL ACR X AIRBUSES ARE MAKING THE SAME MISTAKE. NO SIGNIFICANT OUTCOME. A REVIEW OF ENRTE NOTAMS REVEALED THIS PREMATURE VOR FREQ CHANGE IN THE FMC. A PREDEP REVIEW OF THE ENRTE NOTAMS WOULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS OCCURRENCE. SINCE ACCORDING TO ATC, THIS IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE, ACR SHOULD EITHER PUT OUT AN E-MAIL TO ALL AIRBUS FLT CREWS, OR PLACE A LARGE NOTE ON THE COUNTER IN MEX OPS. ALL THIS SHOULD BE DONE IN ADDITION TO THE ENRTE NOTAM. ALSO, THIS HIGHLIGHTS THE POINT THAT MANY PLTS NEED TO BE REMINDED OF THE IMPORTANCE OF REVIEWING ENRTE NOTAMS PRIOR TO DEP.

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.