Confusion; distraction with FMS anomalies and failure to communicate cause airbus flight crew to com...

Attributes
ACN	782017
Time
Date	200804
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 8500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : zzz.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Airbus Industrie Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : go around
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 1100
ASRS Report	782017
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : published procedure other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : executed go around flight crew : overrode automation
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft Environmental Factor
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

On approach into ZZZ runway xxr; turning downwind on the STAR; the FMS dumped our flight plan. We were VFR so we continued the approach on ATC vectors. I hard tuned the runway xxr ILS into the 'rad/navigation' on the FMS. On final; my flight director did not agree with the ILS GS; so I called to turn off flight directors. We did not get switched over to the tower; therefore; we did not get a landing clearance. So we did a go around. On the go around we had to find the correct radio frequency and then get a heading and altitude to fly. I believe it was 360 degrees and 3000 ft. We were also cleaning up the aircraft as we climbed to 3000 ft. I started to level at 3000 ft but the aircraft did not seem to want to stay level at 3000 ft. It turns out; ATC had given us 5000 ft and the captain was trying to climb the plane up to 5000 ft and I was trying to level off at 3000 ft -- canceling out each other's inputs. I thought I had a control problem and asked the captain to declare an emergency. He did. I realized the captain was touching the controls and asked him to stop so I could get control of the airplane. He did. The captain then put my flight director on and also turned the autoplt on. We climbed to 5000 ft. Got vector to final; ran the checklist; and flew another ILS xxr into ZZZ for landing. I don't even know what corrective action should be taken. This should not happen; ever. One person flies; the other does not.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CONFUSION; DISTRACTION WITH FMS ANOMALIES AND FAILURE TO COMMUNICATE CAUSE AIRBUS FLT CREW TO COMPETE FOR CONTROL OF THE ACFT DURING A GAR.

Narrative: ON APCH INTO ZZZ RWY XXR; TURNING DOWNWIND ON THE STAR; THE FMS DUMPED OUR FLT PLAN. WE WERE VFR SO WE CONTINUED THE APCH ON ATC VECTORS. I HARD TUNED THE RWY XXR ILS INTO THE 'RAD/NAV' ON THE FMS. ON FINAL; MY FLT DIRECTOR DID NOT AGREE WITH THE ILS GS; SO I CALLED TO TURN OFF FLT DIRECTORS. WE DID NOT GET SWITCHED OVER TO THE TWR; THEREFORE; WE DID NOT GET A LNDG CLRNC. SO WE DID A GAR. ON THE GAR WE HAD TO FIND THE CORRECT RADIO FREQ AND THEN GET A HDG AND ALT TO FLY. I BELIEVE IT WAS 360 DEGS AND 3000 FT. WE WERE ALSO CLEANING UP THE ACFT AS WE CLBED TO 3000 FT. I STARTED TO LEVEL AT 3000 FT BUT THE ACFT DID NOT SEEM TO WANT TO STAY LEVEL AT 3000 FT. IT TURNS OUT; ATC HAD GIVEN US 5000 FT AND THE CAPT WAS TRYING TO CLB THE PLANE UP TO 5000 FT AND I WAS TRYING TO LEVEL OFF AT 3000 FT -- CANCELING OUT EACH OTHER'S INPUTS. I THOUGHT I HAD A CTL PROB AND ASKED THE CAPT TO DECLARE AN EMER. HE DID. I REALIZED THE CAPT WAS TOUCHING THE CTLS AND ASKED HIM TO STOP SO I COULD GET CTL OF THE AIRPLANE. HE DID. THE CAPT THEN PUT MY FLT DIRECTOR ON AND ALSO TURNED THE AUTOPLT ON. WE CLBED TO 5000 FT. GOT VECTOR TO FINAL; RAN THE CHKLIST; AND FLEW ANOTHER ILS XXR INTO ZZZ FOR LNDG. I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT CORRECTIVE ACTION SHOULD BE TAKEN. THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN; EVER. ONE PERSON FLIES; THE OTHER DOES NOT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.

Confusion; distraction with FMS anomalies and failure to communicate cause airbus flight crew to compete for control of the aircraft during a go around.