Indian Airlines Flt 605 A320 VT-EPN Accident Report – 1990-02-14
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7. It was also decided to feed certain computer programmes on Indian Airlines Simulator at Hyderabad to
obtain various profiles to match the actual flight path of the ill fated A-320 aircraft, so that useful
inference could be drawn regarding the crucial phase of the accident. Capt. B.S. Gopal, (an Assessor)
was authorized to explain the required programme; he was also authorized to meet the Secretary, Ministry
of Civil Aviation and explain the purpose of this programme since, foreign exchange was involved.
Thereafter, Capt. B.S. Gopal also went to CAE, Electronics?, Montreal, Canada, who were the makers of
Indian Airlines simulator at Hyderabad to prepare the required flight profiles.
8 (a). As the human factor subject is new and to understand its effect on the pilots of the ill
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fated aircraft, it was decided to send the Assessors to NASA (National Aeronautics and Space
Administration, USA) where intensive research work on the subject was being conducted. As such, the
Assessors visited NASA establishment at San Francisco on 12
th
June, 1990. In a meeting, detailed
deliberations were made by a group of experts on human factors. Pilot’s reflex action in most modern
cockpits during emergency, effects of earlier experience and training on conventional type of aircraft,
their behaviour in abnormal circumstances etc., were discussed. Literature on these subjects were
distributed to the Assessors. They were also informed that a system of voluntary submission of reports of
any abnormal happening due to psychological effects or mistakes committed due to personnel factors has
been evolved and the system is believed working satisfactorily; several reports were being received and
the same are reported to the concerned operators for further action without revealing the identity of the
concerned pilots, these data are systematically recorded and study undertaken to analyse human factor
effects in each case and reports are also published to apprise various operators and their flight crew.
8 (b). On 13
th
June, 1990, the Assessors visited IAE engine production facilities at East Hartford. Here
various stages of production and assembly of the engines were shown. Build up of nacked? rotor
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assembly, ritment? of various components on bare engine, engine build up for test bed run were witnessed
by the Assessors. Production test facilities, test bed set up various parameters recording and printout
facility were observed. Arrangement to simulate varying altitude and temperature was available. The air
was drawn in by creating suction at the exhaust end. But the facility for tilting the engine to simulate air
flow at different angles of attack did not exist. Engine acceleration test results were shown.
8 (c). From 18
th
June, 1990 to 21
st
June, 1990, the Assessors visited Toulouse, France. The Assessors
utilized VACBI facility to know more about technical subject of A-320 aircraft. The technical subjects
covered were same as given in the FCOM Vol.1. The system utilized audio visual aids to impart training
to the pupils without the presence of any instructor; it was found that the instructor could be called at any
time to explain certain lessons which were not clear to the pupil and a particular portion of the audio
visual aids could be repeated at the discretion of the pupil for proper understanding.
Subjects incorporated in FCOM Vol.II & III were taught in fixed base simulator (FBS) and fully flying
simulator (FFS).
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A few items of lessons on FBS & FFS were demonstrated. A test flight was undertaken by Airbus
Industrie to carry out requested profiles. Capt. Roa was on Board this flight.
8 (d). The Secretary along with an officer from DGCA visited Paris, France to get FMGC, CFDIU, FCU
and all servo actuators tested from 17.6.90 to 24.6.90.
9. I along with the Secretary, Court of Inquiry, visited Indian Airlines engineering maintenance facilities
at Palam, New Delhi on 28
th
June, 1990. The following areas such as; Shop Complex for P & W JT-8D,
GE CF6-50 and IAE V-3500 engine including Test Bed to undertake major maintenance/repair including
over-haul and testing IAE V-2500 engines were observed.
Besides, I visited Radio, Electric, Instrument and accessory overhaul shops. In instrument shop, facilities
for testing various computers by ATEC (Automatic Test Equipment Complex), DFDR Decoding facilities
for A-320 aircraft and other facilities were found being