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B777 flight crew has difficulty in changing track and altitude after exceeding the 60 min ETOPS rule after losing the left pack during an extended overwater operation on frequency with czqx, nf.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 608723 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200402 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : czqx.artcc |
| State Reference | NF |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 35000 msl bound upper : 37000 |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : czqx.artcc |
| Make Model Name | B777-200 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Route In Use | enroute : atlantic enroute other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 20000 flight time type : 800 |
| ASRS Report | 608723 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far non adherence : company policies non adherence : published procedure non adherence other other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : eicas other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | other |
| Consequence | other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Weather Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft Chart Or Publication Company ATC Human Performance ATC Facility |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
Non ETOPS overwater: at about XA45Z we had a left pack EICAS light. Pack had overheated. Followed checklist and reset pack after 5 mins. After switching to HF en route at approximately XB50Z, had pack off again. Followed procedure but pack would not reset. Contacted maintenance controller for guidance. They sent back an ACARS message that stated we needed to descend to FL350 and remain within 60 mins of alternate. Called dispatch on commercial radio. Started with london diversion and worked our way to continuing to eddf with legal route. Original route was track 'south' with 120 min ETOPS. We received revised routing at XC46Z after we had arranged for lower altitude through FMS. Could not obtain rerte through FMS due to software problems. By XD00 we obtained clearance through gander on 127.9. During this event, we were outside of the 60 mins for a short period. With new release, cyfb, bgsf, bikf, and egpk were new alternates. The whole process happened at the worst possible time. We were overwater but not yet ETOPS when we learned of the 60 min requirement. Flight manual and fom were of little value for guidance. Left pack was operating in standby cooling mode and providing air. We and dispatcher felt the correct course of action was to continue versus returning to ord, diverting, declaring emergency, etc. The process for obtaining rertes off tracks requires a lot of time for the coordination. We were also in an area of moderate turbulence which did not help to expedite the process. This aircraft had a previous history of pack trip on prior leg. Of course, we also had to hold at eddf since we were near minimum fuel with rerte and off altitude.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: B777 FLT CREW HAS DIFFICULTY IN CHANGING TRACK AND ALT AFTER EXCEEDING THE 60 MIN ETOPS RULE AFTER LOSING THE L PACK DURING AN EXTENDED OVERWATER OP ON FREQ WITH CZQX, NF.
Narrative: NON ETOPS OVERWATER: AT ABOUT XA45Z WE HAD A L PACK EICAS LIGHT. PACK HAD OVERHEATED. FOLLOWED CHKLIST AND RESET PACK AFTER 5 MINS. AFTER SWITCHING TO HF ENRTE AT APPROX XB50Z, HAD PACK OFF AGAIN. FOLLOWED PROC BUT PACK WOULD NOT RESET. CONTACTED MAINT CTLR FOR GUIDANCE. THEY SENT BACK AN ACARS MESSAGE THAT STATED WE NEEDED TO DSND TO FL350 AND REMAIN WITHIN 60 MINS OF ALTERNATE. CALLED DISPATCH ON COMMERCIAL RADIO. STARTED WITH LONDON DIVERSION AND WORKED OUR WAY TO CONTINUING TO EDDF WITH LEGAL RTE. ORIGINAL RTE WAS TRACK 'S' WITH 120 MIN ETOPS. WE RECEIVED REVISED ROUTING AT XC46Z AFTER WE HAD ARRANGED FOR LOWER ALT THROUGH FMS. COULD NOT OBTAIN RERTE THROUGH FMS DUE TO SOFTWARE PROBS. BY XD00 WE OBTAINED CLRNC THROUGH GANDER ON 127.9. DURING THIS EVENT, WE WERE OUTSIDE OF THE 60 MINS FOR A SHORT PERIOD. WITH NEW RELEASE, CYFB, BGSF, BIKF, AND EGPK WERE NEW ALTERNATES. THE WHOLE PROCESS HAPPENED AT THE WORST POSSIBLE TIME. WE WERE OVERWATER BUT NOT YET ETOPS WHEN WE LEARNED OF THE 60 MIN REQUIREMENT. FLT MANUAL AND FOM WERE OF LITTLE VALUE FOR GUIDANCE. L PACK WAS OPERATING IN STANDBY COOLING MODE AND PROVIDING AIR. WE AND DISPATCHER FELT THE CORRECT COURSE OF ACTION WAS TO CONTINUE VERSUS RETURNING TO ORD, DIVERTING, DECLARING EMER, ETC. THE PROCESS FOR OBTAINING RERTES OFF TRACKS REQUIRES A LOT OF TIME FOR THE COORD. WE WERE ALSO IN AN AREA OF MODERATE TURB WHICH DID NOT HELP TO EXPEDITE THE PROCESS. THIS ACFT HAD A PREVIOUS HISTORY OF PACK TRIP ON PRIOR LEG. OF COURSE, WE ALSO HAD TO HOLD AT EDDF SINCE WE WERE NEAR MINIMUM FUEL WITH RERTE AND OFF ALT.
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.