Narrative:

During start/pushback, the solenoid depressurizing #1 a pump failed, pressurizing 'a' system. To prevent equipment damage, the fluid shutoff was moved to closed. The fluid did not shut off, and 'a' system stayed pressurized so #1 engine was shut down. We returned to the gate and began a long process of dealing with our maintenance control. To make a long story short, I was given incorrect information on the system and a lot of pressure from the chief pilot to fly the aircraft back to the destination. I felt what I was being told was wrong but in the face of the pressure from management and the 'experts in maintenance, I started thinking I was wrong. As a result, I gave in and took the aircraft. During the return flight the crew and I pulled out manuals and went over the system. We decided I was right in the first place and should not have taken the plane until it was fixed. I'm afraid solutions to this type of problem are way beyond me. As long as the dollar rules all decisions and low fare airlines are around, there will be a lack of support by management towards the decisions of their capts. There will continue to be pressure and implied threats to coerce crews to do something they may not feel is right.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MINIMUM EQUIP LIST REQUIREMENTS WAS MISINTERP FOR ACFT EQUIP PROB MALFUNCTION. PIC PROTESTS AIRLINE MGMNT MAINT POLICY PROCS.

Narrative: DURING START/PUSHBACK, THE SOLENOID DEPRESSURIZING #1 A PUMP FAILED, PRESSURIZING 'A' SYS. TO PREVENT EQUIP DAMAGE, THE FLUID SHUTOFF WAS MOVED TO CLOSED. THE FLUID DID NOT SHUT OFF, AND 'A' SYS STAYED PRESSURIZED SO #1 ENG WAS SHUT DOWN. WE RETURNED TO THE GATE AND BEGAN A LONG PROCESS OF DEALING WITH OUR MAINT CTL. TO MAKE A LONG STORY SHORT, I WAS GIVEN INCORRECT INFO ON THE SYS AND A LOT OF PRESSURE FROM THE CHIEF PLT TO FLY THE ACFT BACK TO THE DEST. I FELT WHAT I WAS BEING TOLD WAS WRONG BUT IN THE FACE OF THE PRESSURE FROM MGMNT AND THE 'EXPERTS IN MAINT, I STARTED THINKING I WAS WRONG. AS A RESULT, I GAVE IN AND TOOK THE ACFT. DURING THE RETURN FLT THE CREW AND I PULLED OUT MANUALS AND WENT OVER THE SYS. WE DECIDED I WAS RIGHT IN THE FIRST PLACE AND SHOULD NOT HAVE TAKEN THE PLANE UNTIL IT WAS FIXED. I'M AFRAID SOLUTIONS TO THIS TYPE OF PROB ARE WAY BEYOND ME. AS LONG AS THE DOLLAR RULES ALL DECISIONS AND LOW FARE AIRLINES ARE AROUND, THERE WILL BE A LACK OF SUPPORT BY MGMNT TOWARDS THE DECISIONS OF THEIR CAPTS. THERE WILL CONTINUE TO BE PRESSURE AND IMPLIED THREATS TO COERCE CREWS TO DO SOMETHING THEY MAY NOT FEEL IS RIGHT.

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.