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A-320 crew had 2 of 3 inertial reference faults just after takeoff. The crew returned to the airport of departure.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 603809 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200401 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : jfk.airport |
| State Reference | NY |
| Altitude | agl single value : 200 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : n90.tracon tower : grr.tower |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | A320 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | other |
| Flight Phase | climbout : initial climbout : takeoff |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 18000 flight time type : 1000 |
| ASRS Report | 603809 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : irs faulted other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : landed as precaution other |
| Consequence | other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Aircraft |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
Narrative:
After takeoff from runway 31L at jfk, inertial reference #1 and inertial reference #3 faulted (2 of our 3 inertial reference units). Both autoplts and autothrust were inoperative and captain's attitude and navigation display blanked. Inertial reference #2 and first officer's instruments were normal. We leveled at 5000 ft, conferred with maintenance control and attempted troubleshooting without success. We then returned to jfk for an overweight landing on runway 31R. Touchdown was smooth and braking normal. The manufacturer will tell you that the odds of such a dual failure are so low that it cannot happen. I am here to tell you I can happen. After the units were reracked and tested, we departed again and again inertial reference #3 faulted. However, the other 2 were normal and we were able to continue.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A-320 CREW HAD 2 OF 3 INERTIAL REF FAULTS JUST AFTER TKOF. THE CREW RETURNED TO THE ARPT OF DEP.
Narrative: AFTER TKOF FROM RWY 31L AT JFK, INERTIAL REF #1 AND INERTIAL REF #3 FAULTED (2 OF OUR 3 INERTIAL REF UNITS). BOTH AUTOPLTS AND AUTOTHRUST WERE INOP AND CAPT'S ATTITUDE AND NAV DISPLAY BLANKED. INERTIAL REF #2 AND FO'S INSTS WERE NORMAL. WE LEVELED AT 5000 FT, CONFERRED WITH MAINT CTL AND ATTEMPTED TROUBLESHOOTING WITHOUT SUCCESS. WE THEN RETURNED TO JFK FOR AN OVERWT LNDG ON RWY 31R. TOUCHDOWN WAS SMOOTH AND BRAKING NORMAL. THE MANUFACTURER WILL TELL YOU THAT THE ODDS OF SUCH A DUAL FAILURE ARE SO LOW THAT IT CANNOT HAPPEN. I AM HERE TO TELL YOU I CAN HAPPEN. AFTER THE UNITS WERE RERACKED AND TESTED, WE DEPARTED AGAIN AND AGAIN INERTIAL REF #3 FAULTED. HOWEVER, THE OTHER 2 WERE NORMAL AND WE WERE ABLE TO CONTINUE.
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.