Number 213
March 1997
Winter’s
Although some parts of the country have seen evidence of a Spring thaw, many areas are still firmly in winter’s grasp. In this first report, a general aviation pilot endured the winter cold for the duration of a three-hour flight:
Lingering Touch
Degrees of Default
In our next report, an air carrier First Officer discovered that the aircraft’s ACARS computer doesn’t know—and doesn’t care— whether it’s winter or summer.
s Aircraft heater did not work, so I tagged it “inop” to satisfy the MEL [Minimum Equipment List], and flew it anyway. The flight was conducted for the most part in VMC on an IFR flight plan. I wore extra-warm winter military flight clothing. Temperature in the cockpit at cruising altitude was about 25°F. Flight time both ways was about 3 hours.
Although the flight was completely uneventful, I now know what it feels like to be a piece of luggage in an unheated baggage compartment. Even though I wore special cold-weather flight clothing, I was physically challenged by this flight. I am certain that my decisionmaking ability was affected after being cold-soaked for 3 hours. Hypothermia, and its resultant lethargy and sleepiness, can creep up on its victims, particularly when they are engaged in such a sedentary activity as an airplane flight.
s Since we were weight-restricted because of 2,500-foot
field elevation, we requested a new takeoff weight sheet. I entered airport temperature into ACARS to get our allowable takeoff weight. I entered 18 for the airport temperature of 18°C. By not putting the “C” in, the computer figured the temperature was 18°F. Consequently, we inadvertently took off 700-1,000 lb. overweight. There is a notice out to make sure °F or °C is entered, rather than leaving it out and assuming the computer will default to what you [want]. The difference between the temperatures is considerable. An 18°C day is a relatively balmy 65°F. An 18°F day is well below freezing, and sounds even colder when expressed as -8°C. This crew should have paused for a reality-check when the computer indicated they could take off near maximum gross weight at that field elevation, on a balmy day.
Turnabout Saves the Day
Winter weather is subject to rapid change, so sometimes even the most up-to-the-minute forecasts can turn out to be off the mark.
Knock, Knock
“Who’s There?” The Captain. “The Captain Who?” The Captain who wants to get back into the cockpit:
s When I left my home airport, the ceiling was 4,200 feet
overcast with visibility 10+ miles. XYZ is about 10 miles away. As I got closer to XYZ, a thin scattered layer at 2,000 feet got thicker and lower. About 4 miles from XYZ, I saw low clouds over the airport. I immediately turned back for home. I was able to continue VFR without incident. I was amazed how quickly the weather deteriorated. I had received a [computerized weather] briefing only minutes before the flight. I would not have hesitated to send a student pilot on the same flight with the information I had about the weather. A student pilot in the same situation may have pressed on with disastrous results. The 180° turn this instructor-reporter executed was exactly what every student is taught early in training. Other pilots who encounter fast-moving weather on short flights should be aware of the necessity for quick decision-making.
s I left the cockpit for a minute, and on trying to reenter, I found the doorknob to be completely freewheeling, with or without a key. The door simply could not be opened from either side. The Flight Engineer attempted to kick open the door, but to no avail. For almost an hour, until just prior to landing, several passengers and I were engaged in attempting to open the door with everything available to us—pocket knives, nail files, small screwdrivers. The alternative was to have the FE use the fire axe to chop down the entire door, causing potential panic to many of our passengers. In light of the heavy experience level of both the co-pilot and the flight engineer, I elected to leave the door intact. A safe landing was accomplished with two well-qualified crew members at the controls. The reporter doesn’t say how the co-pilot and flight engineer ever escaped from the flight deck.
ASRS Recently Issued Alerts On...
Total hydraulic failure on a BA31 Jetstream Uncommanded rudder oscillations in a B737-200 An uncharted obstruction on a Kentucky airport approach An MEA lower than terrain near a South American airport Areas of inadequate radar coverage near a California airport
A Monthly Safety Bulletin from The Office of the NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System, P.O. Box 189, Moffett Field, CA 94035-0189 http://olias.arc.nasa.gov/asrs
January 1997 Report Intake
Air Carrier Pilots General Aviation Pilots Controllers Cabin/Mechanics/Military/Other 1888 612 59 42
TOTAL
2601
飞行翻译公司 www.aviation.cn 本文链接地址：美国ASRS安全公告CALLBACK cb_213.pdf
March 1997
Winter’s
Although some parts of the country have seen evidence of a Spring thaw, many areas are still firmly in winter’s grasp. In this first report, a general aviation pilot endured the winter cold for the duration of a three-hour flight:
Lingering Touch
Degrees of Default
In our next report, an air carrier First Officer discovered that the aircraft’s ACARS computer doesn’t know—and doesn’t care— whether it’s winter or summer.
s Aircraft heater did not work, so I tagged it “inop” to satisfy the MEL [Minimum Equipment List], and flew it anyway. The flight was conducted for the most part in VMC on an IFR flight plan. I wore extra-warm winter military flight clothing. Temperature in the cockpit at cruising altitude was about 25°F. Flight time both ways was about 3 hours.
Although the flight was completely uneventful, I now know what it feels like to be a piece of luggage in an unheated baggage compartment. Even though I wore special cold-weather flight clothing, I was physically challenged by this flight. I am certain that my decisionmaking ability was affected after being cold-soaked for 3 hours. Hypothermia, and its resultant lethargy and sleepiness, can creep up on its victims, particularly when they are engaged in such a sedentary activity as an airplane flight.
s Since we were weight-restricted because of 2,500-foot
field elevation, we requested a new takeoff weight sheet. I entered airport temperature into ACARS to get our allowable takeoff weight. I entered 18 for the airport temperature of 18°C. By not putting the “C” in, the computer figured the temperature was 18°F. Consequently, we inadvertently took off 700-1,000 lb. overweight. There is a notice out to make sure °F or °C is entered, rather than leaving it out and assuming the computer will default to what you [want]. The difference between the temperatures is considerable. An 18°C day is a relatively balmy 65°F. An 18°F day is well below freezing, and sounds even colder when expressed as -8°C. This crew should have paused for a reality-check when the computer indicated they could take off near maximum gross weight at that field elevation, on a balmy day.
Turnabout Saves the Day
Winter weather is subject to rapid change, so sometimes even the most up-to-the-minute forecasts can turn out to be off the mark.
Knock, Knock
“Who’s There?” The Captain. “The Captain Who?” The Captain who wants to get back into the cockpit:
s When I left my home airport, the ceiling was 4,200 feet
overcast with visibility 10+ miles. XYZ is about 10 miles away. As I got closer to XYZ, a thin scattered layer at 2,000 feet got thicker and lower. About 4 miles from XYZ, I saw low clouds over the airport. I immediately turned back for home. I was able to continue VFR without incident. I was amazed how quickly the weather deteriorated. I had received a [computerized weather] briefing only minutes before the flight. I would not have hesitated to send a student pilot on the same flight with the information I had about the weather. A student pilot in the same situation may have pressed on with disastrous results. The 180° turn this instructor-reporter executed was exactly what every student is taught early in training. Other pilots who encounter fast-moving weather on short flights should be aware of the necessity for quick decision-making.
s I left the cockpit for a minute, and on trying to reenter, I found the doorknob to be completely freewheeling, with or without a key. The door simply could not be opened from either side. The Flight Engineer attempted to kick open the door, but to no avail. For almost an hour, until just prior to landing, several passengers and I were engaged in attempting to open the door with everything available to us—pocket knives, nail files, small screwdrivers. The alternative was to have the FE use the fire axe to chop down the entire door, causing potential panic to many of our passengers. In light of the heavy experience level of both the co-pilot and the flight engineer, I elected to leave the door intact. A safe landing was accomplished with two well-qualified crew members at the controls. The reporter doesn’t say how the co-pilot and flight engineer ever escaped from the flight deck.
ASRS Recently Issued Alerts On...
Total hydraulic failure on a BA31 Jetstream Uncommanded rudder oscillations in a B737-200 An uncharted obstruction on a Kentucky airport approach An MEA lower than terrain near a South American airport Areas of inadequate radar coverage near a California airport
A Monthly Safety Bulletin from The Office of the NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System, P.O. Box 189, Moffett Field, CA 94035-0189 http://olias.arc.nasa.gov/asrs
January 1997 Report Intake
Air Carrier Pilots General Aviation Pilots Controllers Cabin/Mechanics/Military/Other 1888 612 59 42
TOTAL
2601
飞行翻译公司 www.aviation.cn 本文链接地址：美国ASRS安全公告CALLBACK cb_213.pdf
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