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Flight crew erroneously entered rvsm airspace without the proper minimum required flight instruments due to equipment failure.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 420069 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199811 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : czqx |
| State Reference | NF |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 33000 msl bound upper : 33000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : czqx |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B767-300 and 300 ER |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | Other Other |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Route In Use | enroute : atlantic enroute : other oceanic enroute airway : czqx |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 19000 flight time type : 5000 |
| ASRS Report | 420069 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : overcame equipment problem none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
10 mins before entering nat for an ocean crossing in reduced vertical separation minimum airspace, a computer failure on board the aircraft caused us to lose both engine electronic controls and the first officer's pitot static instruments. Following the procedures in the aircraft manual we tried to restore the engine electronic controls to no avail. We tried to restore the first officer's altimeter and airspeed indicator by going to the 'altn' position on the air data switch. This was successful. We then called the company maintenance coordinator to inform him of the problem -- and as to whether we could enter rvsm airspace. He stated that it was 'ok' because we had 2 altimeters -- captain's and standby. We later found this to be incorrect -- 2 primary altimeters are needed for rvsm entry. Lessons learned: 1) don't always believe what maintenance may tell you. 2) we restored the first officer's instruments by simply pushing the 'altn' air data switch -- not by going to the abnormal checklist which clearly warns about rvsm entry. We were rushed. What we had looked good -- they said so -- so we went.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: FLC ERRONEOUSLY ENTERED RVSM AIRSPACE WITHOUT THE PROPER MINIMUM REQUIRED FLT INSTS DUE TO EQUIP FAILURE.
Narrative: 10 MINS BEFORE ENTERING NAT FOR AN OCEAN XING IN REDUCED VERT SEPARATION MINIMUM AIRSPACE, A COMPUTER FAILURE ON BOARD THE ACFT CAUSED US TO LOSE BOTH ENG ELECTRONIC CTLS AND THE FO'S PITOT STATIC INSTS. FOLLOWING THE PROCS IN THE ACFT MANUAL WE TRIED TO RESTORE THE ENG ELECTRONIC CTLS TO NO AVAIL. WE TRIED TO RESTORE THE FO'S ALTIMETER AND AIRSPD INDICATOR BY GOING TO THE 'ALTN' POS ON THE AIR DATA SWITCH. THIS WAS SUCCESSFUL. WE THEN CALLED THE COMPANY MAINT COORDINATOR TO INFORM HIM OF THE PROB -- AND AS TO WHETHER WE COULD ENTER RVSM AIRSPACE. HE STATED THAT IT WAS 'OK' BECAUSE WE HAD 2 ALTIMETERS -- CAPT'S AND STANDBY. WE LATER FOUND THIS TO BE INCORRECT -- 2 PRIMARY ALTIMETERS ARE NEEDED FOR RVSM ENTRY. LESSONS LEARNED: 1) DON'T ALWAYS BELIEVE WHAT MAINT MAY TELL YOU. 2) WE RESTORED THE FO'S INSTS BY SIMPLY PUSHING THE 'ALTN' AIR DATA SWITCH -- NOT BY GOING TO THE ABNORMAL CHKLIST WHICH CLRLY WARNS ABOUT RVSM ENTRY. WE WERE RUSHED. WHAT WE HAD LOOKED GOOD -- THEY SAID SO -- SO WE WENT.
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.