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37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
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An air carrier flight crew, flying an MD88, report that they got as much as 20 NM off course according to ARTCC radar controller and confirmed when they checked their raw data. They were able to update their navigation system using VOR information. No further problem.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 364385 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199703 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : psb |
| State Reference | PA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 37000 msl bound upper : 37000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zny |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Dash 8-100 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | Other |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Route In Use | enroute other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 2500 |
| ASRS Report | 364385 |
| 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 : clearance non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation other |
Narrative:
After 45 mins of flight, the FMS was continually resorting to dr and vors were updated. ARTCC called and asked our position. The RNAV showed 5 mi right of psb and ARTCC radar showed 20 mi left of psb. Xchking the psb VOR, we switched to VOR navigation and airborne updated the map function position. No further problems, but a constant xchk with the VOR was made for the remainder of the flight. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter is an MD88 captain for a major air carrier. The MD88's are equipped with honeywell FMS with honeywell software. He said that his company had problems with the equipment getting off course about a yr or 2 ago and honeywell representatives flew a number of flts in the jump seat and were able to solve the problem. This event was the first that he had heard of since that time. After he landed, the maintenance technicians allegedly told him that the software program was not allowing the primary navigation system to automatically update. They did remind him that he should check the system against raw data and manually update if necessary.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN ACR FLC, FLYING AN MD88, RPT THAT THEY GOT AS MUCH AS 20 NM OFF COURSE ACCORDING TO ARTCC RADAR CTLR AND CONFIRMED WHEN THEY CHKED THEIR RAW DATA. THEY WERE ABLE TO UPDATE THEIR NAV SYS USING VOR INFO. NO FURTHER PROB.
Narrative: AFTER 45 MINS OF FLT, THE FMS WAS CONTINUALLY RESORTING TO DR AND VORS WERE UPDATED. ARTCC CALLED AND ASKED OUR POS. THE RNAV SHOWED 5 MI R OF PSB AND ARTCC RADAR SHOWED 20 MI L OF PSB. XCHKING THE PSB VOR, WE SWITCHED TO VOR NAV AND AIRBORNE UPDATED THE MAP FUNCTION POS. NO FURTHER PROBS, BUT A CONSTANT XCHK WITH THE VOR WAS MADE FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE FLT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR IS AN MD88 CAPT FOR A MAJOR ACR. THE MD88'S ARE EQUIPPED WITH HONEYWELL FMS WITH HONEYWELL SOFTWARE. HE SAID THAT HIS COMPANY HAD PROBS WITH THE EQUIP GETTING OFF COURSE ABOUT A YR OR 2 AGO AND HONEYWELL REPRESENTATIVES FLEW A NUMBER OF FLTS IN THE JUMP SEAT AND WERE ABLE TO SOLVE THE PROB. THIS EVENT WAS THE FIRST THAT HE HAD HEARD OF SINCE THAT TIME. AFTER HE LANDED, THE MAINT TECHNICIANS ALLEGEDLY TOLD HIM THAT THE SOFTWARE PROGRAM WAS NOT ALLOWING THE PRIMARY NAV SYS TO AUTOMATICALLY UPDATE. THEY DID REMIND HIM THAT HE SHOULD CHK THE SYS AGAINST RAW DATA AND MANUALLY UPDATE IF NECESSARY.
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.