Narrative:

Aircraft struck by bridge on a service truck 6' below and aft of forward service door. Bridge was covered by around rubber bumper--but dent was made longitudinally (about 4' long X 1/2' deep, centered on main cockpit cabin assembly point seam). Crew called for a & P licensed mechanic to inspect aircraft. Found no loose rivets, no cuts and seal was intact; however, 3 ribs showed depression less than 1/2' and mechanic was questioned specifically about this by the crew. Crew advised by mechanic that no structural had occurred and that the aircraft was airworthy. Aircraft appeared airworthy to crew so flight proceeded back to home base. Company maintenance declared aircraft unairworthy upon inspection. Aircraft is us registry under far part 121. Mechanic employed by flag carrier of ICAO pronounced aircraft airworthy, but would not sign off in the aft log. Crew was trapped in a situation requiring a judgement call that turned out wrong. Suggestion: supplemental operations crew require old fashioned nuts and bolts type training beyond that given to scheduled operations crews and industry trends. Supplemental information from acn 147971: another airlines, ICAO certificated mechanic, and most of the local mechanic staff inspected the aircraft visually and pronounced it airworthy. We wrote up the incident if the log book, but then the mechanic would nt sign it off, saying that since he was another company and not specifically a medium large transport trained person that he would not do this. This left the crew in a difficult situation, nd upon consulting each other and the mechanic we proceeded to base west/O incident. The aircraft was then grounded by out company's mechanics, and repairs are in process. What good is an ICAO certificated mechanic who routinely works on medium large transport if he cannot sign off an aircraft?

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LGT DEP STATION AFTER BEING HIT BY A GND SERVICE VEHICLE. INSPECTED BY A NON ACR MECHANIC AND ADVISED ACFT IS AIRWORTHY, BUT MECHANIC REFUSES TO SIGN OFF IN LOG BOOK.

Narrative: ACFT STRUCK BY BRIDGE ON A SVC TRUCK 6' BELOW AND AFT OF FORWARD SVC DOOR. BRIDGE WAS COVERED BY AROUND RUBBER BUMPER--BUT DENT WAS MADE LONGITUDINALLY (ABOUT 4' LONG X 1/2' DEEP, CENTERED ON MAIN COCKPIT CABIN ASSEMBLY POINT SEAM). CREW CALLED FOR A & P LICENSED MECH TO INSPECT ACFT. FOUND NO LOOSE RIVETS, NO CUTS AND SEAL WAS INTACT; HOWEVER, 3 RIBS SHOWED DEPRESSION LESS THAN 1/2' AND MECH WAS QUESTIONED SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THIS BY THE CREW. CREW ADVISED BY MECH THAT NO STRUCTURAL HAD OCCURRED AND THAT THE ACFT WAS AIRWORTHY. ACFT APPEARED AIRWORTHY TO CREW SO FLT PROCEEDED BACK TO HOME BASE. COMPANY MAINT DECLARED ACFT UNAIRWORTHY UPON INSPECTION. ACFT IS U.S. REGISTRY UNDER FAR PART 121. MECH EMPLOYED BY FLAG CARRIER OF ICAO PRONOUNCED ACFT AIRWORTHY, BUT WOULD NOT SIGN OFF IN THE AFT LOG. CREW WAS TRAPPED IN A SITUATION REQUIRING A JUDGEMENT CALL THAT TURNED OUT WRONG. SUGGESTION: SUPPLEMENTAL OPS CREW REQUIRE OLD FASHIONED NUTS AND BOLTS TYPE TRNING BEYOND THAT GIVEN TO SCHEDULED OPS CREWS AND INDUSTRY TRENDS. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 147971: ANOTHER AIRLINES, ICAO CERTIFICATED MECH, AND MOST OF THE LCL MECH STAFF INSPECTED THE ACFT VISUALLY AND PRONOUNCED IT AIRWORTHY. WE WROTE UP THE INCIDENT IF THE LOG BOOK, BUT THEN THE MECH WOULD NT SIGN IT OFF, SAYING THAT SINCE HE WAS ANOTHER COMPANY AND NOT SPECIFICALLY A MLG TRAINED PERSON THAT HE WOULD NOT DO THIS. THIS LEFT THE CREW IN A DIFFICULT SITUATION, ND UPON CONSULTING EACH OTHER AND THE MECH WE PROCEEDED TO BASE W/O INCIDENT. THE ACFT WAS THEN GNDED BY OUT COMPANY'S MECHS, AND REPAIRS ARE IN PROCESS. WHAT GOOD IS AN ICAO CERTIFICATED MECH WHO ROUTINELY WORKS ON MLG IF HE CANNOT SIGN OFF AN ACFT?

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.