<< >> NASA ASRS Report 544796, April 2002

An A320 crew, descending into phx, neglected to turn the seat belt sign on prior to entering moderate turbulence.

Attributes
ACN	544796
Time
Date	200204
Day	Fri
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : pxr.vortac
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	msl single value : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : p50.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 130 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	544796
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : turbulence non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure non adherence : company policies other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Much is made of protecting pilots from the insidious and superstitious effects of fatigue on flight safety. However, my company shows total disregard for circadian rhythms and other related issues that are a structural impediment to safety that are correctable by management. I felt that the first officer and I were in good shape and alert. However, on descent mental errors began to snowball. On the descent flow the PF missed turning on the seat belt sign. We subsequently descended through moderate turbulence. I had anticipated this possibility and had ordered the flight attendants to take their seats. When I called back to check on them, they first advised that the seat belt sign was off. The PF later spun the airspeed dial thinking it was the heading knob. The PNF missed the seat belt sign during the descent/approach checks. He also called traffic and the airport in sight, without coordinating with the other pilot after being briefed to do so during the pre-trip briefing. It creeps up on you -- fatigue is an ugly thing.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN A320 CREW, DSNDING INTO PHX, NEGLECTED TO TURN THE SEAT BELT SIGN ON PRIOR TO ENTERING MODERATE TURB.

Narrative: MUCH IS MADE OF PROTECTING PLTS FROM THE INSIDIOUS AND SUPERSTITIOUS EFFECTS OF FATIGUE ON FLT SAFETY. HOWEVER, MY COMPANY SHOWS TOTAL DISREGARD FOR CIRCADIAN RHYTHMS AND OTHER RELATED ISSUES THAT ARE A STRUCTURAL IMPEDIMENT TO SAFETY THAT ARE CORRECTABLE BY MGMNT. I FELT THAT THE FO AND I WERE IN GOOD SHAPE AND ALERT. HOWEVER, ON DSCNT MENTAL ERRORS BEGAN TO SNOWBALL. ON THE DSCNT FLOW THE PF MISSED TURNING ON THE SEAT BELT SIGN. WE SUBSEQUENTLY DSNDED THROUGH MODERATE TURB. I HAD ANTICIPATED THIS POSSIBILITY AND HAD ORDERED THE FLT ATTENDANTS TO TAKE THEIR SEATS. WHEN I CALLED BACK TO CHK ON THEM, THEY FIRST ADVISED THAT THE SEAT BELT SIGN WAS OFF. THE PF LATER SPUN THE AIRSPD DIAL THINKING IT WAS THE HEADING KNOB. THE PNF MISSED THE SEAT BELT SIGN DURING THE DSCNT/APCH CHKS. HE ALSO CALLED TFC AND THE ARPT IN SIGHT, WITHOUT COORDINATING WITH THE OTHER PLT AFTER BEING BRIEFED TO DO SO DURING THE PRE-TRIP BRIEFING. IT CREEPS UP ON YOU -- FATIGUE IS AN UGLY THING.

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.