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Captain of a B737-200 took off without written confirmation of the failed attitude indicator gyroscope MEL signoff. The captain blames the company ACARS equipment problem for the failure to receive message prior to departure.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 356270 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199612 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : bwi |
| State Reference | MD |
| 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 | B737-200 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | ground : preflight |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 170 flight time total : 8800 flight time type : 1500 |
| ASRS Report | 356270 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : far other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact none taken : insufficient time |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Upon arrival of aircraft at the gate in bwi, I noted that the gyroscope flag was in view on the ADI. First officer called operations to advise and request mechanic. Mechanic arrived and attempted to reseat connection to #1 vertical gyroscope without success. Aircraft was placed on MEL xx which permits flight while captain's vertical gyroscope switch was in 'captain on auxiliary' position. I requested an MEL release from the dispatcher via ACARS but I did not receive a response or an MEL release from dispatch before departing. I called dispatch at the destination airport. Because of a malfunction either in the ACARS system (not on the aircraft) or at the company, the message was not received by the dispatcher until she checked the message history. She then issued the MEL release. I should have never released brakes for the pushback until I got the MEL from dispatch.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: CAPT OF A B737-200 TOOK OFF WITHOUT WRITTEN CONFIRMATION OF THE FAILED ATTITUDE INDICATOR GYROSCOPE MEL SIGNOFF. THE CAPT BLAMES THE COMPANY ACARS EQUIP PROB FOR THE FAILURE TO RECEIVE MESSAGE PRIOR TO DEP.
Narrative: UPON ARR OF ACFT AT THE GATE IN BWI, I NOTED THAT THE GYROSCOPE FLAG WAS IN VIEW ON THE ADI. FO CALLED OPS TO ADVISE AND REQUEST MECH. MECH ARRIVED AND ATTEMPTED TO RESEAT CONNECTION TO #1 VERT GYROSCOPE WITHOUT SUCCESS. ACFT WAS PLACED ON MEL XX WHICH PERMITS FLT WHILE CAPT'S VERT GYROSCOPE SWITCH WAS IN 'CAPT ON AUX' POS. I REQUESTED AN MEL RELEASE FROM THE DISPATCHER VIA ACARS BUT I DID NOT RECEIVE A RESPONSE OR AN MEL RELEASE FROM DISPATCH BEFORE DEPARTING. I CALLED DISPATCH AT THE DEST ARPT. BECAUSE OF A MALFUNCTION EITHER IN THE ACARS SYS (NOT ON THE ACFT) OR AT THE COMPANY, THE MESSAGE WAS NOT RECEIVED BY THE DISPATCHER UNTIL SHE CHKED THE MESSAGE HISTORY. SHE THEN ISSUED THE MEL RELEASE. I SHOULD HAVE NEVER RELEASED BRAKES FOR THE PUSHBACK UNTIL I GOT THE MEL FROM DISPATCH.
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.