<< >> NASA ASRS Report 452842, October 1999

An airbus 320 flight crew questions deferral of the first officer's horizontal seat control inoperative in the mechanical mode but operative in electronic mode.

Attributes
ACN	452842
Time
Date	199910
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : maintenance ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 6300 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	452842
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	other other
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : schedule pressure performance deficiency : repair
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Maintenance Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

MEL was consulted in ZZZ regarding an inoperative mechanical, horizontal first officer seat control. MEL stated '2' devices to control horizontal movement installed '0' required for dispatch, and that the seat could be operated with mechanical backup control. This statement was confusing because there is only 1 mechanical control and 1 electronic control. Maintenance was called. They checked the write-up and MEL and confirmed aircraft dispatchability via the MEL and the electro-mechanical backup. They determined the electrical control was the backup. The only reason I am submitting this report was because upon arriving in abc, the flight crew receiving this aircraft refused to fly it, due to the MEL write-up. Due to the fact the MEL was not clear and has been interpreted differently and incorrectly by many, I felt it was necessary to file this report.

Related reports:

• Am MD88 pilot describes an inoperative horizontal stabilizer...
• An MD88 crew with an inoperative horizontal stabilizer trim ...
• A B777 horizontal trim was inoperative when operated from th...
• Near midair collision. A C172 cuts off a C177 on final appro...
• A B737-800 cabin attendant attendant reported aircraft seeme...
• An air carrier DC8 freighter flight crew flew the aircraft o...

	Enter your search terms Submit search form
	Web www.37000feet.com

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN AIRBUS 320 FLC QUESTIONS DEFERRAL OF THE FO'S HORIZ SEAT CTL INOP IN THE MECHANICAL MODE BUT OPERATIVE IN ELECTRONIC MODE.

Narrative: MEL WAS CONSULTED IN ZZZ REGARDING AN INOP MECHANICAL, HORIZ FO SEAT CTL. MEL STATED '2' DEVICES TO CTL HORIZ MOVEMENT INSTALLED '0' REQUIRED FOR DISPATCH, AND THAT THE SEAT COULD BE OPERATED WITH MECHANICAL BACKUP CTL. THIS STATEMENT WAS CONFUSING BECAUSE THERE IS ONLY 1 MECHANICAL CTL AND 1 ELECTRONIC CTL. MAINT WAS CALLED. THEY CHKED THE WRITE-UP AND MEL AND CONFIRMED ACFT DISPATCHABILITY VIA THE MEL AND THE ELECTRO-MECHANICAL BACKUP. THEY DETERMINED THE ELECTRICAL CTL WAS THE BACKUP. THE ONLY REASON I AM SUBMITTING THIS RPT WAS BECAUSE UPON ARRIVING IN ABC, THE FLC RECEIVING THIS ACFT REFUSED TO FLY IT, DUE TO THE MEL WRITE-UP. DUE TO THE FACT THE MEL WAS NOT CLR AND HAS BEEN INTERPED DIFFERENTLY AND INCORRECTLY BY MANY, I FELT IT WAS NECESSARY TO FILE THIS RPT.

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.