Narrative:

Our head of maintenance proudly stated that the airline's fleet was averaging '1.5 maintenance carryover items per aircraft with 50 percent of those being cabin items only.' guess we beat the odds the other night with 5 items and all were in the cockpit. What was most distressing was combination of 2 items. Both the automatic ground spoilers and the #3 engine thrust reverser had been written up 3 days earlier. By themselves, each item required no special consideration according to the MEL. In combination the matter wasn't even addressed. Both these system affect stopping capability during an aborted takeoff or normal landing. Imagine the impact with an engine out (other than #3) or a hydraulic malfunction. This situation clearly substantiates the fears pilots expressed when the company announced it was cutting back maintenance. We expressed concern over the lack of MEL guidance on multiple items that may compound problems. Someone needs to investigate airline companies for maintenance practices leading to these problems.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: THE RPTR HAD 5 ITEMS ON THE MEL IN THE COCKPIT. TWO OF THESE ITEMS WERE AUTO SPOILER INOP AND #3 REVERSER INOP. THE RPTR FELT THAT SINCE BOTH RELATED TO BRAKING PERFORMANCE THAT THE COMBINATION WAS NOT ADDRESSED. THE FLT WAS DISPATCHED AS IS.

Narrative: OUR HEAD OF MAINT PROUDLY STATED THAT THE AIRLINE'S FLEET WAS AVERAGING '1.5 MAINT CARRYOVER ITEMS PER ACFT WITH 50 PERCENT OF THOSE BEING CABIN ITEMS ONLY.' GUESS WE BEAT THE ODDS THE OTHER NIGHT WITH 5 ITEMS AND ALL WERE IN THE COCKPIT. WHAT WAS MOST DISTRESSING WAS COMBINATION OF 2 ITEMS. BOTH THE AUTO GND SPOILERS AND THE #3 ENG THRUST REVERSER HAD BEEN WRITTEN UP 3 DAYS EARLIER. BY THEMSELVES, EACH ITEM REQUIRED NO SPECIAL CONSIDERATION ACCORDING TO THE MEL. IN COMBINATION THE MATTER WASN'T EVEN ADDRESSED. BOTH THESE SYS AFFECT STOPPING CAPABILITY DURING AN ABORTED TKOF OR NORMAL LNDG. IMAGINE THE IMPACT WITH AN ENG OUT (OTHER THAN #3) OR A HYD MALFUNCTION. THIS SIT CLRLY SUBSTANTIATES THE FEARS PLTS EXPRESSED WHEN THE COMPANY ANNOUNCED IT WAS CUTTING BACK MAINT. WE EXPRESSED CONCERN OVER THE LACK OF MEL GUIDANCE ON MULTIPLE ITEMS THAT MAY COMPOUND PROBS. SOMEONE NEEDS TO INVESTIGATE AIRLINE COMPANIES FOR MAINT PRACTICES LEADING TO THESE PROBS.

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.