A320 has a database problem and multiple failures when secondary flight plan is selected.

Attributes
ACN	454041
Time
Date	199911
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl single value : 25000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zoa.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
Route In Use	departure other departure sid : quiet 2
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : flight engineer
Experience	controller non radar : 8 controller radar : 14 flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 8400 flight time type : 17
ASRS Report	454041
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

On climb out from sfo, quiet 2 departure, direct sac, captain selected secondary flight plan page on FMGC at about XA01Z (same time new database becomes effective) on nov/xa/99. Both FMGC's timed out and autoplt, autothrust, and cabin landing pressurization failed. Flight plans were dumped as well as flight data and weights. After the FMGC timeout was over, aircraft status page was displayed and the navigation database was indicating that it was switched to the nov/xa/99 -- apparently on its own! After restoring aircraft data and route, proceeded with trip without any further events. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter indicates that the request was made of the FMS to view the secondary route but that it was not activated. After the database shift was complete the FMS had retained the aircraft position.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A320 HAS A DATABASE PROB AND MULTIPLE FAILURES WHEN SECONDARY FLT PLAN IS SELECTED.

Narrative: ON CLBOUT FROM SFO, QUIET 2 DEP, DIRECT SAC, CAPT SELECTED SECONDARY FLT PLAN PAGE ON FMGC AT ABOUT XA01Z (SAME TIME NEW DATABASE BECOMES EFFECTIVE) ON NOV/XA/99. BOTH FMGC'S TIMED OUT AND AUTOPLT, AUTOTHRUST, AND CABIN LNDG PRESSURIZATION FAILED. FLT PLANS WERE DUMPED AS WELL AS FLT DATA AND WTS. AFTER THE FMGC TIMEOUT WAS OVER, ACFT STATUS PAGE WAS DISPLAYED AND THE NAV DATABASE WAS INDICATING THAT IT WAS SWITCHED TO THE NOV/XA/99 -- APPARENTLY ON ITS OWN! AFTER RESTORING ACFT DATA AND RTE, PROCEEDED WITH TRIP WITHOUT ANY FURTHER EVENTS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR INDICATES THAT THE REQUEST WAS MADE OF THE FMS TO VIEW THE SECONDARY RTE BUT THAT IT WAS NOT ACTIVATED. AFTER THE DATABASE SHIFT WAS COMPLETE THE FMS HAD RETAINED THE ACFT POS.

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.