Airline maintenance procedure flight crew placarding without dispatch approval was questioned by aci...

Attributes
ACN	318136
Time
Date	199510
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : oak
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 6000
ASRS Report	318136
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 19000 flight time type : 11000
ASRS Report	317355
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

At gate in oak the aft airstairs were retracted, the amber 'aft airstairs' light on so's panel extinguished but the green 'aft airstairs' light remained on. The airstairs were visually confirmed closed after cycled open and closed. The aircraft MEL confirmed we could (flight crew) placard the discrepancy and proceed with flight. Per the MEL maintenance action, dispatch approval was not required to placard and dispatch the flight. We proceeded with the flight to slc. Contacted maintenance control on the radio and satisfied all requirements of the MEL. We had an FAA air carrier inspector in the jumpseat who questioned our ability to placard and dispatch our flight. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the aci had questioned the flight crew's ability to placard inoperative items without dispatch approval. Reporter felt that the aci took things too seriously. Due to the inspector's questions, however, the flight crew sought the chief pilot's review and advice. The chief pilot could not find fault with crew action. Supplemental information from acn 317355: received logbook reference from maintenance control in atl, had checked fom and MEL, felt no discrepancy was apparent as to my actions.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AIRLINE MAINT PROC FLC PLACARDING WITHOUT DISPATCH APPROVAL WAS QUESTIONED BY ACI.

Narrative: AT GATE IN OAK THE AFT AIRSTAIRS WERE RETRACTED, THE AMBER 'AFT AIRSTAIRS' LIGHT ON SO'S PANEL EXTINGUISHED BUT THE GREEN 'AFT AIRSTAIRS' LIGHT REMAINED ON. THE AIRSTAIRS WERE VISUALLY CONFIRMED CLOSED AFTER CYCLED OPEN AND CLOSED. THE ACFT MEL CONFIRMED WE COULD (FLC) PLACARD THE DISCREPANCY AND PROCEED WITH FLT. PER THE MEL MAINT ACTION, DISPATCH APPROVAL WAS NOT REQUIRED TO PLACARD AND DISPATCH THE FLT. WE PROCEEDED WITH THE FLT TO SLC. CONTACTED MAINT CTL ON THE RADIO AND SATISFIED ALL REQUIREMENTS OF THE MEL. WE HAD AN FAA ACR INSPECTOR IN THE JUMPSEAT WHO QUESTIONED OUR ABILITY TO PLACARD AND DISPATCH OUR FLT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE ACI HAD QUESTIONED THE FLC'S ABILITY TO PLACARD INOP ITEMS WITHOUT DISPATCH APPROVAL. RPTR FELT THAT THE ACI TOOK THINGS TOO SERIOUSLY. DUE TO THE INSPECTOR'S QUESTIONS, HOWEVER, THE FLC SOUGHT THE CHIEF PLT'S REVIEW AND ADVICE. THE CHIEF PLT COULD NOT FIND FAULT WITH CREW ACTION. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 317355: RECEIVED LOGBOOK REF FROM MAINT CTL IN ATL, HAD CHKED FOM AND MEL, FELT NO DISCREPANCY WAS APPARENT AS TO MY ACTIONS.

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.