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An A320 climbing through FL180 returned to the departure airport due to a dual FMS failure and ECAM pressurization warning.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 694450 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200604 |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | msl single value : 18000 |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zzz.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | A320 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 175 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 2800 |
| ASRS Report | 694450 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : ecam other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : landed as precaution other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Aircraft |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
Narrative:
Climbing through FL180; both navigation displays indicated 'map not available' along with a 'please wait' message in both FMGC's. Several moments later we received an ECAM for the pressurization system stating 'landing elevation not set.' the navigation displays and the ECAM reset themselves and shortly thereafter the entire sequence repeated itself. The autoplt disconnected and the autothrottles disarmed. We contacted center and told them we were having a navigation system problem and would like to return to ZZZ. The FMGC's remained locked out with no map displayed for several mins; followed by the FMGC's returning with all information deleted/empty. We returned to ZZZ and landed in the rose-ILS mode without event. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated that what happened was a dual FMS computer failure. The pressurization ECAM warning was also caused by the computer failures; as the pressurization system has a 'landing elevation input' from the FMS computers.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN A320 CLBING THROUGH FL180 RETURNED TO THE DEP ARPT DUE TO A DUAL FMS FAILURE AND ECAM PRESSURIZATION WARNING.
Narrative: CLBING THROUGH FL180; BOTH NAV DISPLAYS INDICATED 'MAP NOT AVAILABLE' ALONG WITH A 'PLEASE WAIT' MESSAGE IN BOTH FMGC'S. SEVERAL MOMENTS LATER WE RECEIVED AN ECAM FOR THE PRESSURIZATION SYS STATING 'LNDG ELEVATION NOT SET.' THE NAV DISPLAYS AND THE ECAM RESET THEMSELVES AND SHORTLY THEREAFTER THE ENTIRE SEQUENCE REPEATED ITSELF. THE AUTOPLT DISCONNECTED AND THE AUTOTHROTTLES DISARMED. WE CONTACTED CTR AND TOLD THEM WE WERE HAVING A NAV SYS PROB AND WOULD LIKE TO RETURN TO ZZZ. THE FMGC'S REMAINED LOCKED OUT WITH NO MAP DISPLAYED FOR SEVERAL MINS; FOLLOWED BY THE FMGC'S RETURNING WITH ALL INFO DELETED/EMPTY. WE RETURNED TO ZZZ AND LANDED IN THE ROSE-ILS MODE WITHOUT EVENT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THAT WHAT HAPPENED WAS A DUAL FMS COMPUTER FAILURE. THE PRESSURIZATION ECAM WARNING WAS ALSO CAUSED BY THE COMPUTER FAILURES; AS THE PRESSURIZATION SYS HAS A 'LNDG ELEVATION INPUT' FROM THE FMS COMPUTERS.
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.