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Flight crew of A320 experienced flight control computer failure and declared an emergency. Flight crew was concerned about ATC handling knowledge of 'fly by wire' aircraft because of the way that situation was handled by ATC.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 294502 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199501 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : phl |
| State Reference | PA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zny tracon : phl tower : phl |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | A320 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | other : unknown |
| Navigation In Use | Other Other |
| Flight Phase | cruise other descent : approach descent other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 110 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 1200 |
| ASRS Report | 294502 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : declared emergency other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
In our A-320 we had a failure of a flight control computer which resulted in degraded flight control capabilities. Emergency was declared and diversion made to phl which was our nearest suitable airport considering winds and WX. ATC was advised we had a 'flight control problem resulting in degraded flight control capabilities' and they seemed happy with that. On final to phl, ATC tower departed 1 aircraft from our runway when we were approximately 6 mi out then when approximately 3 mi out, tower put a b- 737 in position for departure on our runway. I told the tower to clear the aircraft from the runway, reminded him of our emergency status and explained that we could not afford to have the air disturbed during our flare and touchdown. Tower complied and the traffic taxied clear. Landing was uneventful. Here's the problem -- most in ATC don't really understand a 'fly by wire' aircraft and its different levels of degraded flight control capabilities. We really need to educate ATC so that they can provide the maximum amount of help when needed. At the very least, an emergency aircraft with a 'flight control problem' needs everything going for it during flare and touchdown. Let's find some way to adequately communication to ATC our limitations during an emergency.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: FLC OF A320 EXPERIENCED FLT CTL COMPUTER FAILURE AND DECLARED AN EMER. FLC WAS CONCERNED ABOUT ATC HANDLING KNOWLEDGE OF 'FLY BY WIRE' ACFT BECAUSE OF THE WAY THAT SIT WAS HANDLED BY ATC.
Narrative: IN OUR A-320 WE HAD A FAILURE OF A FLT CTL COMPUTER WHICH RESULTED IN DEGRADED FLT CTL CAPABILITIES. EMER WAS DECLARED AND DIVERSION MADE TO PHL WHICH WAS OUR NEAREST SUITABLE ARPT CONSIDERING WINDS AND WX. ATC WAS ADVISED WE HAD A 'FLT CTL PROB RESULTING IN DEGRADED FLT CTL CAPABILITIES' AND THEY SEEMED HAPPY WITH THAT. ON FINAL TO PHL, ATC TWR DEPARTED 1 ACFT FROM OUR RWY WHEN WE WERE APPROX 6 MI OUT THEN WHEN APPROX 3 MI OUT, TWR PUT A B- 737 IN POS FOR DEP ON OUR RWY. I TOLD THE TWR TO CLR THE ACFT FROM THE RWY, REMINDED HIM OF OUR EMER STATUS AND EXPLAINED THAT WE COULD NOT AFFORD TO HAVE THE AIR DISTURBED DURING OUR FLARE AND TOUCHDOWN. TWR COMPLIED AND THE TFC TAXIED CLR. LNDG WAS UNEVENTFUL. HERE'S THE PROB -- MOST IN ATC DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND A 'FLY BY WIRE' ACFT AND ITS DIFFERENT LEVELS OF DEGRADED FLT CTL CAPABILITIES. WE REALLY NEED TO EDUCATE ATC SO THAT THEY CAN PROVIDE THE MAX AMOUNT OF HELP WHEN NEEDED. AT THE VERY LEAST, AN EMER ACFT WITH A 'FLT CTL PROB' NEEDS EVERYTHING GOING FOR IT DURING FLARE AND TOUCHDOWN. LET'S FIND SOME WAY TO ADEQUATELY COM TO ATC OUR LIMITATIONS DURING AN EMER.
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.