Driving a classic - Crew Resource Management - Lockheed P-3 Orion

Approach, July, 2002 by Rick Golbitz

Using our new worst-case scenario, we faced an 800-mile, two-engine transit, at 10,000 feet, and unable to maintain pressurization. The FEs determined it would take 12,000 pounds of fuel to get home. Doing some quick math, we would land with 7,500 pounds of useable fuel without having to use the 6,600 pounds of questionable fuel in tank No. 3. Not a lot of fuel for a P-3, but we wouldn't be swimming. I stopped my SV-2 mental inventory and noticed the collective stress level in the flight station had diminished significantly as we all reached the same conclusion.

We spent the next three hours monitoring engine performance, fine-tuning fuel logs, and watching the miles wind down on the GPS. We made an uneventful three-engine landing (No. 2 of 3 for those of you keeping score at home), acutely aware we dodged a lot of the "what ifs."

Two days later, following replacement of the No. 3 engine and several fuel-system components, the plane was readied for high-power-engine turns. Before starting the APU and as the flight engineer manually rotated the No. 2 propeller, he heard what he described as a "box of rocks" (an industry term), which aurally confirmed yet another problem. The No. 2 turbine was completely shot, again.

There was no indication of a pending turbine failure during flight, nor on postflight, most probably because of the APU noise. If we had lost the No. 2 turbine in flight, we would have been right in the middle of our new worst-case scenario. Following the replacement on the No. 2 engine, our "classic" Orion completed a post-maintenance check flight and returned to service.

We learned several lessons from this flight: some new, some not so new, but all equally important. First, strong NATOPS knowledge and timely execution of emergency procedures is essential when "it" starts to hit the fan. Each crew member knew their job and did it immediately. Second, always plan for your worst-case scenario, even if it keeps changing, and continuously revise your plan as necessary. Third, no matter how much experience you or your crew have, you still haven't seen it all. Do not let yourself become lax or over-confident. With over 15,000 hours of P-3 experience in the flight station, the mighty Orion still managed to throw us a curve ball. And finally, effective CRM is the difference between hitting that curve ball and striking out. In the P-3 community, we live and die by CRM. With a three-man flight crew and a 12-man tactical crew, it is the secret to our success.

Each member of our flight station, including the off-duty pilot and flight engineer, worked together, communicated and provided feedback, and operated freely within the CRM-friendly environment that pervades our community. We were able to handle an emergency and return one vintage P-3 and 14 aircrew to dry land.

Situational Awareness Assertiveness Decision-Making Leadership Communication Adaptability/Flexibility Mission Analysis

CRM Contacts:

LCdr. Scott Stroble, OPNAV N789F3 CRM Program Mgr. stroble.scott@hq.navy.mil, DSN 664-7721