Narrative:

After flying for over 3 hours, we reached the canadian airspace. As we got closer to the airport, we were given multiple runway changes that may have led to an incorrect FMS entry. This incorrect entry caused a minor heading difference between the flight path and the actual path. The difference was detected and corrected by ATC within seconds. The new assigned heading did not cause or resolve any traffic conflict. We then continued on the approach and had an uneventful landing. Factors that contributed to this situation are as follows: 1) multiple runway changes at close proximity to the airport. 2) crew unfamiliarity with the airport. 3) glare from sun made scanning difficult. 4) time compression. 5) local phraseology. Possible solutions: 1) runway changes within 20 mi of the airport and below 10000 ft should be prohibited. 2) better glare resistant blinds and visors. 3) differences in procedures and phraseology should be included in the NOTAM section of the release paperwork. Supplemental information from acn 619546: I may have incorrectly interpretation the arrival to be ywt.WTRL02 commercial page X versus the ywt.WTRL02 commercial page Y and the selected FMS arrival WTRL02. At the time of the possible path error, I may have momentarily perceived that I was on the incorrect arrival and therefore corrected by selecting heading momentarily to correct path to inoxer versus penga while yyz ATC noticed the heading and gave a corrective vector. There was no conflict of traffic. Contributing factors: 1) FMS arrival acronyms D not exactly match arrival chart acronyms. Ywt.WTRL02 commercial page X versus WTRL02 (FMS). 2) fatigue (multiple time zones, local circadian rhythm). Possible solutions: 1) require FMS and charts use the exact same acronyms. 2) runway changes are transmitted via ACARS along with an alert message allowing for sooner runway identify and more time for a full brief. 3) adopt european duty regulations to combat fatigue. 4) keep crews flying on international destinations during an entire month of flying.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HDG TRACK DEV DURING ARR PROC WHEN AN A320 PIC GETS OFF TRACK DUE TO CONFUSION REGARDING ARR PROCS INTO CYYZ, ON.

Narrative: AFTER FLYING FOR OVER 3 HRS, WE REACHED THE CANADIAN AIRSPACE. AS WE GOT CLOSER TO THE ARPT, WE WERE GIVEN MULTIPLE RWY CHANGES THAT MAY HAVE LED TO AN INCORRECT FMS ENTRY. THIS INCORRECT ENTRY CAUSED A MINOR HDG DIFFERENCE BTWN THE FLT PATH AND THE ACTUAL PATH. THE DIFFERENCE WAS DETECTED AND CORRECTED BY ATC WITHIN SECONDS. THE NEW ASSIGNED HDG DID NOT CAUSE OR RESOLVE ANY TFC CONFLICT. WE THEN CONTINUED ON THE APCH AND HAD AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG. FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THIS SIT ARE AS FOLLOWS: 1) MULTIPLE RWY CHANGES AT CLOSE PROX TO THE ARPT. 2) CREW UNFAMILIARITY WITH THE ARPT. 3) GLARE FROM SUN MADE SCANNING DIFFICULT. 4) TIME COMPRESSION. 5) LCL PHRASEOLOGY. POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS: 1) RWY CHANGES WITHIN 20 MI OF THE ARPT AND BELOW 10000 FT SHOULD BE PROHIBITED. 2) BETTER GLARE RESISTANT BLINDS AND VISORS. 3) DIFFERENCES IN PROCS AND PHRASEOLOGY SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE NOTAM SECTION OF THE RELEASE PAPERWORK. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 619546: I MAY HAVE INCORRECTLY INTERP THE ARR TO BE YWT.WTRL02 COMMERCIAL PAGE X VERSUS THE YWT.WTRL02 COMMERCIAL PAGE Y AND THE SELECTED FMS ARR WTRL02. AT THE TIME OF THE POSSIBLE PATH ERROR, I MAY HAVE MOMENTARILY PERCEIVED THAT I WAS ON THE INCORRECT ARR AND THEREFORE CORRECTED BY SELECTING HDG MOMENTARILY TO CORRECT PATH TO INOXER VERSUS PENGA WHILE YYZ ATC NOTICED THE HDG AND GAVE A CORRECTIVE VECTOR. THERE WAS NO CONFLICT OF TFC. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: 1) FMS ARR ACRONYMS D NOT EXACTLY MATCH ARR CHART ACRONYMS. YWT.WTRL02 COMMERCIAL PAGE X VERSUS WTRL02 (FMS). 2) FATIGUE (MULTIPLE TIME ZONES, LCL CIRCADIAN RHYTHM). POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS: 1) REQUIRE FMS AND CHARTS USE THE EXACT SAME ACRONYMS. 2) RWY CHANGES ARE XMITTED VIA ACARS ALONG WITH AN ALERT MESSAGE ALLOWING FOR SOONER RWY IDENT AND MORE TIME FOR A FULL BRIEF. 3) ADOPT EUROPEAN DUTY REGS TO COMBAT FATIGUE. 4) KEEP CREWS FLYING ON INTL DESTS DURING AN ENTIRE MONTH OF FLYING.

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.