Narrative:

The airbus A320 is currently operated under an airworthiness directive which requires that an alternate brake check be performed by the flight crew on any leg over 2 hours. This is a result of an incident where due to total brake system steering control unit failure, and a failed alternate brake valve, an A320 landed with no brakes. Airbus has concluded that the alternate brake valve was contaminated with water, which had frozen. Our procedure requires either crew member (captain or first officer) to turn antiskid and nosewheel steering switch to off. This switches hydraulic system to alternate brakes. Proper function of alternate brake valve is verified by reading brake pressure indication. The crew member performing the test has to sign off the logbook entry. The previous 2 trips, a total of 6 days, were flown with the same first officer. He diligently performed this test and made the required logbook entry. This may have been the main contributing factor, as it had allowed me to be less alert to see that the test was performing on this leg, with a different first officer. I also have a card with the words 'brake check' to place on my chart holder. For unknown reasons, I did not put it there on this leg. A contributing factor was possibly fatigue. This was the third leg on a night trip, with 6 hours 16 min flying time, and scheduled arrival at XA55. The test was not performed. The brakes functioned normally during landing rollout and taxi to gate. In the future, I will perform the test myself to keep the habit fresh. Also, I will be more diligent in placing the reminder card on my chart holder.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN AIRBUS 320 IN CRUISE AT FL370 FAILED TO HAVE A REQUIRED AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE CHK ACCOMPLISHED BY THE FLC.

Narrative: THE AIRBUS A320 IS CURRENTLY OPERATED UNDER AN AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE WHICH REQUIRES THAT AN ALTERNATE BRAKE CHK BE PERFORMED BY THE FLC ON ANY LEG OVER 2 HRS. THIS IS A RESULT OF AN INCIDENT WHERE DUE TO TOTAL BRAKE SYS STEERING CTL UNIT FAILURE, AND A FAILED ALTERNATE BRAKE VALVE, AN A320 LANDED WITH NO BRAKES. AIRBUS HAS CONCLUDED THAT THE ALTERNATE BRAKE VALVE WAS CONTAMINATED WITH WATER, WHICH HAD FROZEN. OUR PROC REQUIRES EITHER CREW MEMBER (CAPT OR FO) TO TURN ANTISKID AND NOSEWHEEL STEERING SWITCH TO OFF. THIS SWITCHES HYD SYS TO ALTERNATE BRAKES. PROPER FUNCTION OF ALTERNATE BRAKE VALVE IS VERIFIED BY READING BRAKE PRESSURE INDICATION. THE CREW MEMBER PERFORMING THE TEST HAS TO SIGN OFF THE LOGBOOK ENTRY. THE PREVIOUS 2 TRIPS, A TOTAL OF 6 DAYS, WERE FLOWN WITH THE SAME FO. HE DILIGENTLY PERFORMED THIS TEST AND MADE THE REQUIRED LOGBOOK ENTRY. THIS MAY HAVE BEEN THE MAIN CONTRIBUTING FACTOR, AS IT HAD ALLOWED ME TO BE LESS ALERT TO SEE THAT THE TEST WAS PERFORMING ON THIS LEG, WITH A DIFFERENT FO. I ALSO HAVE A CARD WITH THE WORDS 'BRAKE CHK' TO PLACE ON MY CHART HOLDER. FOR UNKNOWN REASONS, I DID NOT PUT IT THERE ON THIS LEG. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS POSSIBLY FATIGUE. THIS WAS THE THIRD LEG ON A NIGHT TRIP, WITH 6 HRS 16 MIN FLYING TIME, AND SCHEDULED ARR AT XA55. THE TEST WAS NOT PERFORMED. THE BRAKES FUNCTIONED NORMALLY DURING LNDG ROLLOUT AND TAXI TO GATE. IN THE FUTURE, I WILL PERFORM THE TEST MYSELF TO KEEP THE HABIT FRESH. ALSO, I WILL BE MORE DILIGENT IN PLACING THE REMINDER CARD ON MY CHART HOLDER.

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.