An airbus 320 on preflight inspection the first officer reported #1 engine oil quantity low. Mainten...

Attributes
ACN	442279
Time
Date	199907
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : phx.airport
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : preflight ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 60
ASRS Report	442279
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : #1 engine oil qty indicator other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

I carried flight plan and WX with me from operations to aircraft planning to look at them there and prior to departure. Upon arrival at aircraft, first officer advised me that engine oil quantity on #1 was low and asked if he should advise maintenance. I noted quantity (13 quarts) and then told him to go ahead. After he had called them I realized that aircraft had been on ground for several hours and that this could cause indication to be erroneous. Maintenance came out and advised that the engine would have to be started to obtain a correct indication at oil level. I told them to go ahead since I was looking at flight release, WX, and briefing flight attendants. When engine was started, the oil level came up to normal (20 quarts) and no further action was required since there wasn't a discrepancy. I also neglected to make a logbook entry because I felt there was no discrepancy. Afterwards, I realized that this could be interpreted as a maintenance action, and that I should have made an entry and had it signed off by maintenance.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN AIRBUS 320 ON PREFLT INSPECTION THE FO RPTED #1 ENG OIL QUANTITY LOW. MAINT ADVISED CREW TO START ENG TO SCAVENGE OIL. OIL QUANTITY RETURNED TO FULL AFTER RUN.

Narrative: I CARRIED FLT PLAN AND WX WITH ME FROM OPS TO ACFT PLANNING TO LOOK AT THEM THERE AND PRIOR TO DEP. UPON ARR AT ACFT, FO ADVISED ME THAT ENG OIL QUANTITY ON #1 WAS LOW AND ASKED IF HE SHOULD ADVISE MAINT. I NOTED QUANTITY (13 QUARTS) AND THEN TOLD HIM TO GO AHEAD. AFTER HE HAD CALLED THEM I REALIZED THAT ACFT HAD BEEN ON GND FOR SEVERAL HRS AND THAT THIS COULD CAUSE INDICATION TO BE ERRONEOUS. MAINT CAME OUT AND ADVISED THAT THE ENG WOULD HAVE TO BE STARTED TO OBTAIN A CORRECT INDICATION AT OIL LEVEL. I TOLD THEM TO GO AHEAD SINCE I WAS LOOKING AT FLT RELEASE, WX, AND BRIEFING FLT ATTENDANTS. WHEN ENG WAS STARTED, THE OIL LEVEL CAME UP TO NORMAL (20 QUARTS) AND NO FURTHER ACTION WAS REQUIRED SINCE THERE WASN'T A DISCREPANCY. I ALSO NEGLECTED TO MAKE A LOGBOOK ENTRY BECAUSE I FELT THERE WAS NO DISCREPANCY. AFTERWARDS, I REALIZED THAT THIS COULD BE INTERPED AS A MAINT ACTION, AND THAT I SHOULD HAVE MADE AN ENTRY AND HAD IT SIGNED OFF BY MAINT.

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.

An airbus 320 on preflight inspection the first officer reported #1 engine oil quantity low. Maintenance advised crew to start engine to scavenge oil. Oil quantity returned to full after run.