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A B777-200 flight crew was dispatched on an international over water flight with the gust suppressor deferred. They found the tail was moving around so much in flight even in light turbulence that they discontinued cabin service.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 811554 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200811 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : rjaa.airport |
| State Reference | FO |
| Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Weather Elements | Turbulence |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B777-200 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | ground : maintenance |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 17000 flight time type : 1100 |
| ASRS Report | 811554 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe inflight encounter : turbulence |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | other |
| Consequence | other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Maintenance Human Performance Aircraft |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
Narrative:
Aircraft X was released by maintenance with a carry forward item -- the gust suppressor had a fault history. We experienced light to moderate turbulence at various flight levels. Whereas the flight conditions were deemed acceptable for cabin service; our flight attendants in the rear of the aircraft had considerable difficulty performing their duties. At one point; a galley cart was knocked over during what was actually only light turbulence. One of the pilots visited the rear of aircraft in cruise and confirmed the extent of swaying and 'moving back and forth;' and the extent of discomfort. Safety may have been compromised for our crew and passenger. Crew was instructed to discontinue service and remain seated for much of the flight. Dispatch was contacted by satphone to discuss the situation. Maintenance control was advised to remove the aircraft from service.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A B777-200 FLIGHT CREW WAS DISPATCHED ON AN INTERNATIONAL OVER WATER FLIGHT WITH THE GUST SUPPRESSOR DEFERRED. THEY FOUND THE TAIL WAS MOVING AROUND SO MUCH IN FLIGHT EVEN IN LIGHT TURBULENCE THAT THEY DISCONTINUED CABIN SERVICE.
Narrative: ACFT X WAS RELEASED BY MAINT WITH A CARRY FORWARD ITEM -- THE GUST SUPPRESSOR HAD A FAULT HISTORY. WE EXPERIENCED LIGHT TO MODERATE TURB AT VARIOUS FLT LEVELS. WHEREAS THE FLT CONDITIONS WERE DEEMED ACCEPTABLE FOR CABIN SVC; OUR FLT ATTENDANTS IN THE REAR OF THE ACFT HAD CONSIDERABLE DIFFICULTY PERFORMING THEIR DUTIES. AT ONE POINT; A GALLEY CART WAS KNOCKED OVER DURING WHAT WAS ACTUALLY ONLY LIGHT TURB. ONE OF THE PLTS VISITED THE REAR OF ACFT IN CRUISE AND CONFIRMED THE EXTENT OF SWAYING AND 'MOVING BACK AND FORTH;' AND THE EXTENT OF DISCOMFORT. SAFETY MAY HAVE BEEN COMPROMISED FOR OUR CREW AND PAX. CREW WAS INSTRUCTED TO DISCONTINUE SVC AND REMAIN SEATED FOR MUCH OF THE FLT. DISPATCH WAS CONTACTED BY SATPHONE TO DISCUSS THE SITUATION. MAINT CTL WAS ADVISED TO REMOVE THE ACFT FROM SVC.
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.