A320 discovers FMGC has locked on a single page shortly after takeoff. Conduct operation to destinat...

Narrative:

All operations normal until ZZZ center cleared us present position to VOR en route to ZZZ1. Discovered we had zero control or input to the FMGC. Advised ATC of the issue. They gave us a heading; reaching ZZZ1 approach; we declared an emergency and landed without event. While still on climb; we discovered we could not address the FMGC. The only page displayed and available was the flight plan page. ACARS access was normal. Advised ATC of the navigation issue and they were willing to give us headings until we sorted out our issues. FMGC page never advanced from our initial takeoff display. Confirmed that all system were normal and that rvsm operations were allowed. Traded ACARS messages with maintenance control and zzzzz. Maintenance control had never experienced this type of failure. Tried circuit breaker cycling for each mcdu with no improvement. Maintenance control suggested we could use emergency authority/authorized to cycle the FMGC's which crew was unwilling to attempt. Checked course and navaids using standby navigation functions of the rmp and appeared displays on navigation display were accurate and raw data was available. Dispatch agreed the WX in ZZZ1 was good and crew was ok with continuing operation to ZZZ1. The general WX was good until ZZZ1 arrival which should be an initial ILS but VFR prior to OM. Aircraft appeared to update the gross weight of our flight. Used flight manual to determine landing reference speeds. Used ACARS landing performance data feature. Did not know/select an approach during initial FMGC loading for ZZZ1. Plane was showing 800 ft for a landing elevation; so we felt reasonably sure the plane was happy with the destination. Since we could not select an approach or activate and confirm; we did not know how the egws would react. ZZZ altimeter was higher than ZZZ1 altimeter which could result in a 500 ft cabin pressure error. Declared emergency with ZZZ1 approach to get any relief and latitude we may need if we had navigation issues on the approach. Landed without event. Local contract maintenance reset system and could not duplicate the fault. Next leg was normal.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A320 DISCOVERS FMGC HAS LOCKED ON A SINGLE PAGE SHORTLY AFTER TKOF. CONDUCT OPERATION TO DESTINATION WITH ATC ASSISTANCE AND RAW DATA. DECLARE A PRECAUTIONARY EMERGENCY FOR THEIR ARRIVAL AT SCHEDULED DESTINATION.

Narrative: ALL OPS NORMAL UNTIL ZZZ CTR CLRED US PRESENT POS TO VOR ENRTE TO ZZZ1. DISCOVERED WE HAD ZERO CTL OR INPUT TO THE FMGC. ADVISED ATC OF THE ISSUE. THEY GAVE US A HDG; REACHING ZZZ1 APCH; WE DECLARED AN EMER AND LANDED WITHOUT EVENT. WHILE STILL ON CLB; WE DISCOVERED WE COULD NOT ADDRESS THE FMGC. THE ONLY PAGE DISPLAYED AND AVAILABLE WAS THE FLT PLAN PAGE. ACARS ACCESS WAS NORMAL. ADVISED ATC OF THE NAV ISSUE AND THEY WERE WILLING TO GIVE US HDGS UNTIL WE SORTED OUT OUR ISSUES. FMGC PAGE NEVER ADVANCED FROM OUR INITIAL TKOF DISPLAY. CONFIRMED THAT ALL SYS WERE NORMAL AND THAT RVSM OPS WERE ALLOWED. TRADED ACARS MESSAGES WITH MAINT CTL AND ZZZZZ. MAINT CTL HAD NEVER EXPERIENCED THIS TYPE OF FAILURE. TRIED CIRCUIT BREAKER CYCLING FOR EACH MCDU WITH NO IMPROVEMENT. MAINT CTL SUGGESTED WE COULD USE EMER AUTH TO CYCLE THE FMGC'S WHICH CREW WAS UNWILLING TO ATTEMPT. CHKED COURSE AND NAVAIDS USING STANDBY NAV FUNCTIONS OF THE RMP AND APPEARED DISPLAYS ON NAV DISPLAY WERE ACCURATE AND RAW DATA WAS AVAILABLE. DISPATCH AGREED THE WX IN ZZZ1 WAS GOOD AND CREW WAS OK WITH CONTINUING OP TO ZZZ1. THE GENERAL WX WAS GOOD UNTIL ZZZ1 ARR WHICH SHOULD BE AN INITIAL ILS BUT VFR PRIOR TO OM. ACFT APPEARED TO UPDATE THE GROSS WT OF OUR FLT. USED FLT MANUAL TO DETERMINE LNDG REF SPDS. USED ACARS LNDG PERFORMANCE DATA FEATURE. DID NOT KNOW/SELECT AN APCH DURING INITIAL FMGC LOADING FOR ZZZ1. PLANE WAS SHOWING 800 FT FOR A LNDG ELEVATION; SO WE FELT REASONABLY SURE THE PLANE WAS HAPPY WITH THE DEST. SINCE WE COULD NOT SELECT AN APCH OR ACTIVATE AND CONFIRM; WE DID NOT KNOW HOW THE EGWS WOULD REACT. ZZZ ALTIMETER WAS HIGHER THAN ZZZ1 ALTIMETER WHICH COULD RESULT IN A 500 FT CABIN PRESSURE ERROR. DECLARED EMER WITH ZZZ1 APCH TO GET ANY RELIEF AND LATITUDE WE MAY NEED IF WE HAD NAV ISSUES ON THE APCH. LANDED WITHOUT EVENT. LCL CONTRACT MAINT RESET SYS AND COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAULT. NEXT LEG WAS NORMAL.

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.

Attributes
ACN	782129
Time
Date	200804
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zzz.artcc
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 12000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : zzz.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Route In Use	departure sid : n/s
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 16000 flight time type : 4700
ASRS Report	782129
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Aircraft

A320 discovers FMGC has locked on a single page shortly after takeoff. Conduct operation to destination with ATC assistance and raw data. Declare a precautionary emergency for their arrival at scheduled destination.