<< >> NASA ASRS Report 268794, April 1994

Widebody transport captain used emergency authority/authorized to activate an MEL'ed item on initial climb.

Attributes
ACN	268794
Time
Date	199404
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : fll
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : fll
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude climbout : initial
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 140 flight time total : 17000 flight time type : 320
ASRS Report	268794
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : far
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Exercised captain emergency authority/authorized to deviate from MEL. Just prior to his leg # 1 pack placed on MEL 21-20 (intermittently gives off oily smoke smell). On taxi out cockpit was extremely hot with nil air flow running on #2 pack only. After takeoff # 2 pack only provided nil air flow. In crew's opinion continuation of flight with no cockpit cooling air would have been distracting enough to compromise flight safety. Deviated from MEL and operated #1 pack temporarily to cool cockpit and correct situation. This company has recently cut back or lost experienced maintenance personnel. Aircraft are routinely released from maintenance with 'pencilwhipped' items and marginal at best repairs. The #2 pack on this aircraft had a history of being poor at cooling airflow for well over a month and reportedly needed a heat exchanger and had been on/off MEL numerous times over the period.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WDB CAPT USED EMER AUTH TO ACTIVATE AN MEL'ED ITEM ON INITIAL CLB.

Narrative: EXERCISED CAPT EMER AUTH TO DEVIATE FROM MEL. JUST PRIOR TO HIS LEG # 1 PACK PLACED ON MEL 21-20 (INTERMITTENTLY GIVES OFF OILY SMOKE SMELL). ON TAXI OUT COCKPIT WAS EXTREMELY HOT WITH NIL AIR FLOW RUNNING ON #2 PACK ONLY. AFTER TKOF # 2 PACK ONLY PROVIDED NIL AIR FLOW. IN CREW'S OPINION CONTINUATION OF FLT WITH NO COCKPIT COOLING AIR WOULD HAVE BEEN DISTRACTING ENOUGH TO COMPROMISE FLT SAFETY. DEVIATED FROM MEL AND OPERATED #1 PACK TEMPORARILY TO COOL COCKPIT AND CORRECT SIT. THIS COMPANY HAS RECENTLY CUT BACK OR LOST EXPERIENCED MAINT PERSONNEL. ACFT ARE ROUTINELY RELEASED FROM MAINT WITH 'PENCILWHIPPED' ITEMS AND MARGINAL AT BEST REPAIRS. THE #2 PACK ON THIS ACFT HAD A HISTORY OF BEING POOR AT COOLING AIRFLOW FOR WELL OVER A MONTH AND REPORTEDLY NEEDED A HEAT EXCHANGER AND HAD BEEN ON/OFF MEL NUMEROUS TIMES OVER THE PERIOD.

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.