 |
37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
An A320 returns to sea when the overwing exit light on the ECAM system indicates a problem with the status of the exit door and evacuate/evacuation slide.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 440871 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199906 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : mwh.vortac |
| State Reference | WA |
| Altitude | msl single value : 34400 |
| Environment | |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zse.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | A320 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | other |
| Flight Phase | climbout : vacating altitude |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 70 flight time total : 11600 flight time type : 6 |
| ASRS Report | 440871 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer observation : company check pilot oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : multi engine pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : ecam other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | aircraft : equipment problem dissipated flight crew : landed in emergency condition flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : declared emergency |
| Consequence | other other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
Narrative:
While climbing out of FL344 for FL370, in smooth air, we experienced a sharp jolt and vibration with an associated, 'left aft overwing exit open' ECAM message. We leveled off immediately and established that there was no pressurization problem. As a precaution, we requested a descent to the MEA and a return to airport X. At that time, we also declared an emergency since we could not identify the source of the initial vibration and the 'a' flight attendant reported that the white slide inflation light was illuminated, between the 2 left overwing emergency exits. 1/2 way back to airport X, the ECAM message went out along with the white slide inflation light. Approach and landing were normal at an overweight of 143400 pounds.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN A320 RETURNS TO SEA WHEN THE OVERWING EXIT LIGHT ON THE ECAM SYS INDICATES A PROB WITH THE STATUS OF THE EXIT DOOR AND EVAC SLIDE.
Narrative: WHILE CLBING OUT OF FL344 FOR FL370, IN SMOOTH AIR, WE EXPERIENCED A SHARP JOLT AND VIBRATION WITH AN ASSOCIATED, 'L AFT OVERWING EXIT OPEN' ECAM MESSAGE. WE LEVELED OFF IMMEDIATELY AND ESTABLISHED THAT THERE WAS NO PRESSURIZATION PROB. AS A PRECAUTION, WE REQUESTED A DSCNT TO THE MEA AND A RETURN TO ARPT X. AT THAT TIME, WE ALSO DECLARED AN EMER SINCE WE COULD NOT IDENT THE SOURCE OF THE INITIAL VIBRATION AND THE 'A' FLT ATTENDANT RPTED THAT THE WHITE SLIDE INFLATION LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED, BTWN THE 2 L OVERWING EMER EXITS. 1/2 WAY BACK TO ARPT X, THE ECAM MESSAGE WENT OUT ALONG WITH THE WHITE SLIDE INFLATION LIGHT. APCH AND LNDG WERE NORMAL AT AN OVERWT OF 143400 LBS.
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.