Pilot Monitoring of Aircraft Automation

[Investigator]

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[Widow]

Thank you for providing the report Investigator. It will be interesting to see our users comments.

[Intentional Left Bank]

THIS ONE is remarkably similiar.

Summary

The Air Canada Jazz Bombardier CRJ705 aircraft (registration C-FBJZ, serial number 15037) was operating as JZA8105 from Houston, Texas, to Calgary, Alberta, with 64 passengers and 4 crew members on board. The aircraft entered Canadian airspace in the vicinity of COUTS intersection, while in cruise at flight level 400. Shortly thereafter, at 2046 mountain daylight time, the crew contacted Edmonton Centre and was advised that traffic was being metered into Calgary. The controller gave the crew a crossing time for the VUCAN intersection of 2121 and offered the option of slowing at pilot's discretion. This crossing time was 18 minutes later than planned.

The crew was concerned about fuel reserves as the flight had already been diverted west of its planned route in the United States due to weather and air traffic control requirements. The pilot reduced power to slow the aircraft in response to the anticipated metering of traffic. While the crew was occupied with the fuel calculations for a possible hold, the airspeed deteriorated to the point of stick shaker activation. The aircraft speed was recovered by applying power and initiating a descent. There was no damage to the aircraft or injuries to passengers or crew. The flight landed at Calgary without further incident.

[xsbank]

Two more examples of nobody flying the aircraft. I know there are many distractions in a cockpit, especially at cruise, but it remains the primary duty of two pilots to always have someone flying the airplane, even if its on autopilot.

Seems this is becoming more difficult to do?

We practice high-altitude stalls in the sim, 35,000'; we lower the nose to 5 degrees below the horizon and are willing to accept a 4000 foot loss of altitude. We also declare a mayday as we are plummeting through airways or RVSM airspace. We do not recover, that is raise the nose and fly level, until we have Mach .72 on the gauge. Would seem that this pilot attempted to recover too soon, hence the PIOs.

TC recently mandated this stall training, and these reports would seem to be the reason why. We all thought it was because of the morons who flamed out an RJ and thundered in with both engines out, somewhere in the US. Seems we have had a home-grown incident that spurred the change.

[square]

It stalled because the power was set 1.3% below planned??

[rightseatwonder]

not just because of the power settings... it stalled because the 1.3 % lower power setting led to a decrease in airspeed... and for 17 minutes nobody checked it... 1.3 % of missing power over 17 minutes adds up when you are at altitude and especially near the top of climb.(heavy).. not a huge margin there over stall speed... and very little power available for recovery.. especially if its above isa.

[mrsbitchy]

As a ‘professional’ pilot, you may want to take the incentive of continuing your own education and proficiency. A couple of good training videos you should watch!

http://www.faa.gov/pilots/training/
Videos
Airplane Upset Recovery, Part 1 (ASX)
Airplane Upset Recovery, Part 2 (ASX)