 |
37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
First officer of A320 reports the captain opted to ignore a GPWS terrain failure warning prior to takeoff.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 688809 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200602 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | A320 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | ground : taxi ground : takeoff roll ground : parked |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| ASRS Report | 688809 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : company policies non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : gpws warning other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Consequence | other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
I became aware that we had a GPWS terrain fault during my 1 engine after start flow. Subsequently; the status page showed CAT III and GPWS terrain messages with CAT ii only noted as well. I completed my flows and grabbed the microphone to SELCAL maintenance to take care of this situation; ie; system restoration; information only; or MEL. The captain told me that he didn't want me to do that because he didn't want to stay in houston 1 min longer. I objected again; noting that this is an airbus and there is a time stamp for this fault message. He was aware of that fact; but again told me he didn't want to take any corrective action and proceeded to taxi into position for takeoff. At no time did we ever stop taxiing. We never pulled over to discuss it. The captain made the decision and was well aware of his willful disregard for a GPWS fault message in VMC. I reluctantly took off and did not step on the brakes as that would have been my only option at that time. In phoenix; I brought it to the captain's attention after interrogating the mcdu through the cfds prompt and showed him again the time stamp of the fault. He told me that; and I am quoting now; 'I will tell them it happened in the air; and the only way they will know is if you tell them.' he then asked me to lie to if I were ever asked about it.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: FO OF A320 RPTS THE CAPT OPTED TO IGNORE A GPWS TERRAIN FAILURE WARNING PRIOR TO TKOF.
Narrative: I BECAME AWARE THAT WE HAD A GPWS TERRAIN FAULT DURING MY 1 ENG AFTER START FLOW. SUBSEQUENTLY; THE STATUS PAGE SHOWED CAT III AND GPWS TERRAIN MESSAGES WITH CAT II ONLY NOTED AS WELL. I COMPLETED MY FLOWS AND GRABBED THE MIKE TO SELCAL MAINT TO TAKE CARE OF THIS SITUATION; IE; SYS RESTORATION; INFO ONLY; OR MEL. THE CAPT TOLD ME THAT HE DIDN'T WANT ME TO DO THAT BECAUSE HE DIDN'T WANT TO STAY IN HOUSTON 1 MIN LONGER. I OBJECTED AGAIN; NOTING THAT THIS IS AN AIRBUS AND THERE IS A TIME STAMP FOR THIS FAULT MESSAGE. HE WAS AWARE OF THAT FACT; BUT AGAIN TOLD ME HE DIDN'T WANT TO TAKE ANY CORRECTIVE ACTION AND PROCEEDED TO TAXI INTO POS FOR TKOF. AT NO TIME DID WE EVER STOP TAXIING. WE NEVER PULLED OVER TO DISCUSS IT. THE CAPT MADE THE DECISION AND WAS WELL AWARE OF HIS WILLFUL DISREGARD FOR A GPWS FAULT MESSAGE IN VMC. I RELUCTANTLY TOOK OFF AND DID NOT STEP ON THE BRAKES AS THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN MY ONLY OPTION AT THAT TIME. IN PHOENIX; I BROUGHT IT TO THE CAPT'S ATTN AFTER INTERROGATING THE MCDU THROUGH THE CFDS PROMPT AND SHOWED HIM AGAIN THE TIME STAMP OF THE FAULT. HE TOLD ME THAT; AND I AM QUOTING NOW; 'I WILL TELL THEM IT HAPPENED IN THE AIR; AND THE ONLY WAY THEY WILL KNOW IS IF YOU TELL THEM.' HE THEN ASKED ME TO LIE TO IF I WERE EVER ASKED ABOUT IT.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.