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An A319 pilot performing VOR approachs to jfk runways 22L and 13L noticed that computer programmed altitudes were 200 ft low at the final approach fix on both approachs.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 631832 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200408 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : jfk.airport |
| State Reference | NY |
| Environment | |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : jfk.tower |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | A319 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | other vortac |
| Flight Phase | descent : intermediate altitude descent : approach |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| ASRS Report | 631832 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : altimeter/ fmc other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : overrode automation |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
Narrative:
This problem relates to the way the airbus flies a managed VOR approach to jfk. We were vectored to the VOR runway 22L approach. The captain was the PF. Conditions were VFR. On base leg we were cleared direct wugal at 2000 ft and cleared for the VOR runway 22L. The captain followed the QRH verbatim. Wugal was the to waypoint. We crossed wugal at 2000 ft, and shortly thereafter final engaged. The autoplt flew on course and on the vertical profile. To my surprise the airplane crossed rushy (the FAF) at approximately 1200 ft. This was 200 ft low! We were on the vertical profile. We continued because we were VFR. The airplane continued on the vertical profile, and we could see that we were below the VASI. The captain disconnected the autoplt before the 'dda,' and continued a visual approach to landing. The airplane captured final outside rushy and flew a vertical profile of about 2.9 degrees. The approach plate shows a 3.14 degree profile from rushy. We reviewed volume 3 and it states to monitor compliance with any step-down fix restrs. It doesn't tell you what to do if it crosses a fix low. A missed approach is the only option. If you select vertical speed zero to make the crossing restr, then use 'fpa' to recapture the vertical profile, the vertical profile brings you in below the VASI (at 2.9 degrees instead of 3.14 degrees). During training in the simulator, I have seen this same problem. We have always continued the approach with the instructor saying it was a 'sim-ism.' this is negative training! Also, this problem is not limited to the simulator! It is not limited to the VOR runway 22L at jfk either. From lax to jfk, the aircraft crossed cri low on the VOR runway 13L approach to jfk. VFR conditions existed and I continued visually to a landing. Please look into how the vertical profile is programmed into the computer on the airbus. These 2 approachs are wrong.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN A319 PLT PERFORMING VOR APCHS TO JFK RWYS 22L AND 13L NOTICED THAT COMPUTER PROGRAMMED ALTS WERE 200 FT LOW AT THE FINAL APCH FIX ON BOTH APCHS.
Narrative: THIS PROB RELATES TO THE WAY THE AIRBUS FLIES A MANAGED VOR APCH TO JFK. WE WERE VECTORED TO THE VOR RWY 22L APCH. THE CAPT WAS THE PF. CONDITIONS WERE VFR. ON BASE LEG WE WERE CLRED DIRECT WUGAL AT 2000 FT AND CLRED FOR THE VOR RWY 22L. THE CAPT FOLLOWED THE QRH VERBATIM. WUGAL WAS THE TO WAYPOINT. WE CROSSED WUGAL AT 2000 FT, AND SHORTLY THEREAFTER FINAL ENGAGED. THE AUTOPLT FLEW ON COURSE AND ON THE VERT PROFILE. TO MY SURPRISE THE AIRPLANE CROSSED RUSHY (THE FAF) AT APPROX 1200 FT. THIS WAS 200 FT LOW! WE WERE ON THE VERT PROFILE. WE CONTINUED BECAUSE WE WERE VFR. THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED ON THE VERT PROFILE, AND WE COULD SEE THAT WE WERE BELOW THE VASI. THE CAPT DISCONNECTED THE AUTOPLT BEFORE THE 'DDA,' AND CONTINUED A VISUAL APCH TO LNDG. THE AIRPLANE CAPTURED FINAL OUTSIDE RUSHY AND FLEW A VERT PROFILE OF ABOUT 2.9 DEGS. THE APCH PLATE SHOWS A 3.14 DEG PROFILE FROM RUSHY. WE REVIEWED VOLUME 3 AND IT STATES TO MONITOR COMPLIANCE WITH ANY STEP-DOWN FIX RESTRS. IT DOESN'T TELL YOU WHAT TO DO IF IT CROSSES A FIX LOW. A MISSED APCH IS THE ONLY OPTION. IF YOU SELECT VERT SPD ZERO TO MAKE THE XING RESTR, THEN USE 'FPA' TO RECAPTURE THE VERT PROFILE, THE VERT PROFILE BRINGS YOU IN BELOW THE VASI (AT 2.9 DEGS INSTEAD OF 3.14 DEGS). DURING TRAINING IN THE SIMULATOR, I HAVE SEEN THIS SAME PROB. WE HAVE ALWAYS CONTINUED THE APCH WITH THE INSTRUCTOR SAYING IT WAS A 'SIM-ISM.' THIS IS NEGATIVE TRAINING! ALSO, THIS PROB IS NOT LIMITED TO THE SIMULATOR! IT IS NOT LIMITED TO THE VOR RWY 22L AT JFK EITHER. FROM LAX TO JFK, THE ACFT CROSSED CRI LOW ON THE VOR RWY 13L APCH TO JFK. VFR CONDITIONS EXISTED AND I CONTINUED VISUALLY TO A LNDG. PLEASE LOOK INTO HOW THE VERT PROFILE IS PROGRAMMED INTO THE COMPUTER ON THE AIRBUS. THESE 2 APCHS ARE WRONG.
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.