<< >> NASA ASRS Report 318310, October 1995

Departure controller intervention to bring large transport back to departure SID track after noticing an off route turn.

Attributes
ACN	318310
Time
Date	199510
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : pxr airport : phx
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : phx tower : tol
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : initial climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure other departure sid : sid
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 3100
ASRS Report	318310
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : overcame equipment problem other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While departing phx on the drake 6 departure FMGC system flew unprogrammed heading. Departure was towards west on runway 26R. Autoplt was engaged at approximately 1000 ft AGL and a 'managed' navigation course for the drake 6 was being flown. At 9 DME pxr the aircraft made the required turn to heading 360 degrees. Shortly after rolling out on a 360 degree heading the aircraft turned to a heading of approximately 025 degrees. This heading was inadvertent and not part of the drake 6 departure. No alterations had been made to the FMGC flight plan and the stored flight plan was properly depicted. This malfunction prompted a call from ATC asking our present heading. Lesson: as much as we like to believe computers do not make mistakes, they do! Monitor all navigation rtes with VOR back-up, printed SID in hand.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DEP CTLR INTERVENTION TO BRING LGT BACK TO DEP SID TRACK AFTER NOTICING AN OFF RTE TURN.

Narrative: WHILE DEPARTING PHX ON THE DRAKE 6 DEP FMGC SYS FLEW UNPROGRAMMED HDG. DEP WAS TOWARDS W ON RWY 26R. AUTOPLT WAS ENGAGED AT APPROX 1000 FT AGL AND A 'MANAGED' NAV COURSE FOR THE DRAKE 6 WAS BEING FLOWN. AT 9 DME PXR THE ACFT MADE THE REQUIRED TURN TO HDG 360 DEGS. SHORTLY AFTER ROLLING OUT ON A 360 DEG HDG THE ACFT TURNED TO A HDG OF APPROX 025 DEGS. THIS HDG WAS INADVERTENT AND NOT PART OF THE DRAKE 6 DEP. NO ALTERATIONS HAD BEEN MADE TO THE FMGC FLT PLAN AND THE STORED FLT PLAN WAS PROPERLY DEPICTED. THIS MALFUNCTION PROMPTED A CALL FROM ATC ASKING OUR PRESENT HDG. LESSON: AS MUCH AS WE LIKE TO BELIEVE COMPUTERS DO NOT MAKE MISTAKES, THEY DO! MONITOR ALL NAV RTES WITH VOR BACK-UP, PRINTED SID IN HAND.

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.