 |
37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
An A319 PIC is concerned with his company's use of non mechanics for a pushback crew which resulted in less than desired communication skills during an engine start anomaly.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 604861 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200401 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | A319 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | other |
| Flight Phase | ground : preflight ground : pushback |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 3000 |
| ASRS Report | 604861 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other other : gnd 3 |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Consequence | other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Weather Maintenance Human Performance Aircraft Company |
| Primary Problem | Ambiguous |
Narrative:
During #1 engine start and pushback, ground crew stated 'sparks' were seen from back of engine. Engine start parameters were all normal and I asked for clarification and more information, but received only the first statement again. We attributed whatever was seen to some accumulation of unburnt fuel in the tailpipe, combined with the extremely low outside temperatures and the fact that the engine was started after a very recent shutdown. In the absence of any abnormalities, we continued an uneventful flight. Later, we learned that the starter on that engine failed. Had we been given more information, we may have investigated further before flying. A contributory factor is that the pushback crews at our airline are no longer mechanics nor qualified for accurate observations.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN A319 PIC IS CONCERNED WITH HIS COMPANY'S USE OF NON MECHS FOR A PUSHBACK CREW WHICH RESULTED IN LESS THAN DESIRED COM SKILLS DURING AN ENG START ANOMALY.
Narrative: DURING #1 ENG START AND PUSHBACK, GND CREW STATED 'SPARKS' WERE SEEN FROM BACK OF ENG. ENG START PARAMETERS WERE ALL NORMAL AND I ASKED FOR CLARIFICATION AND MORE INFO, BUT RECEIVED ONLY THE FIRST STATEMENT AGAIN. WE ATTRIBUTED WHATEVER WAS SEEN TO SOME ACCUMULATION OF UNBURNT FUEL IN THE TAILPIPE, COMBINED WITH THE EXTREMELY LOW OUTSIDE TEMPS AND THE FACT THAT THE ENG WAS STARTED AFTER A VERY RECENT SHUTDOWN. IN THE ABSENCE OF ANY ABNORMALITIES, WE CONTINUED AN UNEVENTFUL FLT. LATER, WE LEARNED THAT THE STARTER ON THAT ENG FAILED. HAD WE BEEN GIVEN MORE INFO, WE MAY HAVE INVESTIGATED FURTHER BEFORE FLYING. A CONTRIBUTORY FACTOR IS THAT THE PUSHBACK CREWS AT OUR AIRLINE ARE NO LONGER MECHS NOR QUALIFIED FOR ACCURATE OBSERVATIONS.
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.