Gulfstream G650
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 100; Flight Crew Total 6500; Flight Crew Type 400
Confusion; Workload
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Deviation - Altitude Excursion From Assigned Altitude; Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Flight Crew Became Reoriented; Flight Crew Executed Go Around / Missed Approach
Aircraft; Human Factors
IFR flight planned at 15;000 feet to RDM. During cruise; we copied ATIS for RDM. We briefed and planned for the visual approach to Runway 23 RDM. Seattle Center cleared us direct HUTKI for the visual 23. After a few minutes; Seattle told us preceding aircraft didn't breakout until 7;000 feet. First Officer asked for vectors to final and Seattle gave us direct YUBUB for RNAV Y 23. First Officer reloaded the approach. A couple minutes later; Seattle cleared us direct to ARNOY and to cross at/above 8;000 and cleared for the approach. First Officer attempted to reload the approach but had difficulties due to known Honeywell FMS database issues in the G-650. After 3 failed attempts to reload the approach; First Officer had to reset the approach data for Runway 23 by selecting opposite runway 5; then deleting approach. This time the approach was able to load correctly beginning at ARNOY. After approach was briefed again; LNAV/VNAV was selected to engage autopilot. Approaching ARNOY; we began configuring aircraft to Flaps 10 [and] 180 knots for tight right turn. We noticed it led the turn and began descent. A couple of miles after ARNOY; crew noticed that YUBUB had dropped out of the database and FMS had sequenced to next point HUTKI. At this point; pilot began a left turn correction to YUBUB as CP reloaded the point. A few seconds later; Seattle center told us they received an altitude alert and to turn left HDG 050 and to climb to 7500 feet. Seattle then gave us another climb to 7800 feet and vectors back around for the approach. During vectors to final; there was still an issue with YUBUB not being able to couple correctly. We were VMC at this time and could see the RDM airport so we asked for and received clearance for the visual Runway 23. After we landed; the crew reloaded the approach multiple times in the database to see if there were any obvious glitches. We also called our chief pilot on conference call to discuss scenario and lessons learned. Additionally; the crew wrote up the scenario and submitted to maintenance to be forwarded to Gulfstream and Honeywell to attempt to find out if this was pilot error or an addition to Honeywell's database issues. Many lessons learned during this quick flight especially regarding automation and continued vigilance and surveillance to coupled approaches. Crew could have been quicker in seeing the problem and making corrections. It was bumpy IMC conditions during descent from 15;000 feet down to about 6500 feet. Our scenario and lessons learned was shared throughout our entire flight department to ensure all pilots and maintenance personnel learn from our event.
[Report narrative contained no additional information.]
G650 flight crew reported getting off course and low during the RNAV Y Rwy 23 at RDM. ZSE issued a low altitude alert and vectors for another approach. The Honeywell FMC anomalies were the result of either known database issues or operator error.