Commuter captain reports he accepted an aircraft that had the taxi light assembly missing. This was ...

Attributes
ACN	177353
Time
Date	199104
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bos
State Reference	MA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, High Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 175 flight time total : 4200 flight time type : 1200
ASRS Report	177353
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

In bos I picked up the aircraft I was scheduled to fly at the gate approximately 10 mins prior to departure. The aircraft had numerous deferred items, among which was the taxi light assembly. It was missing. The cdl specified that it could be missing with a 25# weight reduction. The previous captain mentioned in passing that the aircraft was vibrating due to the absence of the taxi light assembly. In flight, I found the vibration to increase with an increase in speed to a point (185 KTS) where it became prohibitive. Upon arrival in jfk, I refused to fly the aircraft until the aircraft was fixed. The maintenance coordinator revealed that a nose gear door had also been removed, which was causing the vibration. Upon review of the cdl the aircraft was then determined to be flying illegally. The cdl specified that if 1 nose gear door was removed, all 3 doors must be removed. The aircraft was flown to our maintenance base by another captain for repairs. I was threatened with a disciplinary hearing by management for refusing to fly the aircraft. After proving to them it was illegal, they dropped the charges.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER CAPT REPORTS HE ACCEPTED AN ACFT THAT HAD THE TAXI LIGHT ASSEMBLY MISSING. THIS WAS APPROVED BY MINIMUM EQUIPMENT LIST. AFTER THE FLT HE DISCOVERED THE NOS GEAR DOOR HAD ALSO BEEN REMOVED AND THIS WAS NOT A DEFERRABLE ITEM.

Narrative: IN BOS I PICKED UP THE ACFT I WAS SCHEDULED TO FLY AT THE GATE APPROX 10 MINS PRIOR TO DEP. THE ACFT HAD NUMEROUS DEFERRED ITEMS, AMONG WHICH WAS THE TAXI LIGHT ASSEMBLY. IT WAS MISSING. THE CDL SPECIFIED THAT IT COULD BE MISSING WITH A 25# WT REDUCTION. THE PREVIOUS CAPT MENTIONED IN PASSING THAT THE ACFT WAS VIBRATING DUE TO THE ABSENCE OF THE TAXI LIGHT ASSEMBLY. IN FLT, I FOUND THE VIBRATION TO INCREASE WITH AN INCREASE IN SPD TO A POINT (185 KTS) WHERE IT BECAME PROHIBITIVE. UPON ARR IN JFK, I REFUSED TO FLY THE ACFT UNTIL THE ACFT WAS FIXED. THE MAINT COORDINATOR REVEALED THAT A NOSE GEAR DOOR HAD ALSO BEEN REMOVED, WHICH WAS CAUSING THE VIBRATION. UPON REVIEW OF THE CDL THE ACFT WAS THEN DETERMINED TO BE FLYING ILLEGALLY. THE CDL SPECIFIED THAT IF 1 NOSE GEAR DOOR WAS REMOVED, ALL 3 DOORS MUST BE REMOVED. THE ACFT WAS FLOWN TO OUR MAINT BASE BY ANOTHER CAPT FOR REPAIRS. I WAS THREATENED WITH A DISCIPLINARY HEARING BY MGMNT FOR REFUSING TO FLY THE ACFT. AFTER PROVING TO THEM IT WAS ILLEGAL, THEY DROPPED THE CHARGES.

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.

Commuter captain reports he accepted an aircraft that had the taxi light assembly missing. This was approved by minimum equipment list. After the flight he discovered the nos gear door had also been removed and this was not a deferrable item.