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An A320 captain performing a preflight inspection at las discovered FOD (gravel) in both engine nacelles. Reporter stated this is probably due to construction in the area where aircraft are parked over night.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 804127 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200809 |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : las.airport |
| State Reference | NV |
| Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | A320 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | ground : preflight ground : parked |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 270 flight time total : 13320 flight time type : 1280 |
| ASRS Report | 804127 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | ground encounters : fod |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Airport |
| Primary Problem | Airport |
| Situations | |
| Airport | construction : las.airport |
Narrative:
On walkaround; captain discovered a quantity of small gauge gravel in each engine; both in front of and behind the fan blades. Notified maintenance control and mechanics were dispatched to clear the FOD and certify the aircraft fit for flight. My own investigation discovered the aircraft had been towed from the pad where air carrier X aircraft are parked for the night to clear the gates for use. This area is very close to the ongoing construction at las airport and some construction material is obviously being introduced to the aircraft engines and other system. It should be noted the winds all night were light and this is not the result of a freak wind event. This has to be a daily occurrence; again due to the closeness of the aircraft to the construction. Chief pilot was notified via ACARS and no response was given.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN A320 CAPT PERFORMING A PREFLIGHT INSPECTION AT LAS DISCOVERED FOD (GRAVEL) IN BOTH ENG NACELLES. REPORTER STATED THIS IS PROBABLY DUE TO CONSTRUCTION IN THE AREA WHERE AIRCRAFT ARE PARKED OVER NIGHT.
Narrative: ON WALKAROUND; CAPT DISCOVERED A QUANTITY OF SMALL GAUGE GRAVEL IN EACH ENG; BOTH IN FRONT OF AND BEHIND THE FAN BLADES. NOTIFIED MAINT CTL AND MECHS WERE DISPATCHED TO CLR THE FOD AND CERTIFY THE ACFT FIT FOR FLT. MY OWN INVESTIGATION DISCOVERED THE ACFT HAD BEEN TOWED FROM THE PAD WHERE ACR X ACFT ARE PARKED FOR THE NIGHT TO CLR THE GATES FOR USE. THIS AREA IS VERY CLOSE TO THE ONGOING CONSTRUCTION AT LAS ARPT AND SOME CONSTRUCTION MATERIAL IS OBVIOUSLY BEING INTRODUCED TO THE ACFT ENGS AND OTHER SYS. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THE WINDS ALL NIGHT WERE LIGHT AND THIS IS NOT THE RESULT OF A FREAK WIND EVENT. THIS HAS TO BE A DAILY OCCURRENCE; AGAIN DUE TO THE CLOSENESS OF THE ACFT TO THE CONSTRUCTION. CHIEF PLT WAS NOTIFIED VIA ACARS AND NO RESPONSE WAS GIVEN.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 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.