Narrative:

While performing the calculation for contaminated runway corrections for various runways at ord, I noticed that the data being sent for runway 9L did not appear to be correct. I was trying to calculate that correction for runway 9L temperature_$ flap 0 engine anti-ice on qnh 29.74 with 1/2 inch of slush. The planned touchdown weight at that time was 300.5. The response from this program indicated a maximum takeoff weight of 356.4 and also provided V speeds. I opened the calculations detail box to see how the program reached its conclusion. It indicated the initial runway limited weight aircraft off as 360.9. It indicated 0 for the contaminated correction. I then went to the A300 performance manual in the airport section and went to the operation in snow slush ice or standing water table. This table does not provide data for flaps 0 degrees for runways shorter than 8000 ft. Runway 9L at ord is 7967 ft. The automated correction program should have responded with fail. Without closely looking at this data and noticing that it was erroneous, a potentially dangerous situation could have occurred. This program needs to be carefully scrutinized for similar mistakes. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that his company had already recomputed the data for the ord runways in line with the A300 aircraft performance data and disseminated the revisions to dispatch and the flcs.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DISPATCHER OF AN A300 AIRBUS FOUND INCORRECT COMPANY ACFT PERFORMANCE DATA FOR THE ARPT RWYS INTENDED RESULTING NO CORRECTION SHOWN FOR SPECIFIC RWYS LESS THAN 8000 FT IN LENGTH AND WITH CONTAMINATION ON THE RWY.

Narrative: WHILE PERFORMING THE CALCULATION FOR CONTAMINATED RWY CORRECTIONS FOR VARIOUS RWYS AT ORD, I NOTICED THAT THE DATA BEING SENT FOR RWY 9L DID NOT APPEAR TO BE CORRECT. I WAS TRYING TO CALCULATE THAT CORRECTION FOR RWY 9L TEMP_$ FLAP 0 ENG ANTI-ICE ON QNH 29.74 WITH 1/2 INCH OF SLUSH. THE PLANNED TOUCHDOWN WT AT THAT TIME WAS 300.5. THE RESPONSE FROM THIS PROGRAM INDICATED A MAX TKOF WT OF 356.4 AND ALSO PROVIDED V SPDS. I OPENED THE CALCULATIONS DETAIL BOX TO SEE HOW THE PROGRAM REACHED ITS CONCLUSION. IT INDICATED THE INITIAL RWY LIMITED WT ACFT OFF AS 360.9. IT INDICATED 0 FOR THE CONTAMINATED CORRECTION. I THEN WENT TO THE A300 PERFORMANCE MANUAL IN THE ARPT SECTION AND WENT TO THE OP IN SNOW SLUSH ICE OR STANDING WATER TABLE. THIS TABLE DOES NOT PROVIDE DATA FOR FLAPS 0 DEGS FOR RWYS SHORTER THAN 8000 FT. RWY 9L AT ORD IS 7967 FT. THE AUTOMATED CORRECTION PROGRAM SHOULD HAVE RESPONDED WITH FAIL. WITHOUT CLOSELY LOOKING AT THIS DATA AND NOTICING THAT IT WAS ERRONEOUS, A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SIT COULD HAVE OCCURRED. THIS PROGRAM NEEDS TO BE CAREFULLY SCRUTINIZED FOR SIMILAR MISTAKES. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT HIS COMPANY HAD ALREADY RECOMPUTED THE DATA FOR THE ORD RWYS IN LINE WITH THE A300 ACFT PERFORMANCE DATA AND DISSEMINATED THE REVISIONS TO DISPATCH AND THE FLCS.

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.