Narrative:

During taxi out, got status message fdr was inoperative. Attempted 3 clears and then taxied into position on runway. Status appeared again. Asked tower to return to gate due to our initial look at the maintenance dispatch manual which states: flight crew may placard, 1 installed, 0 required, class a mco and 'may be inoperative provided a) crash fire rescue equipment operates normally, B) airplane is not dispatched from a designated airport where repairs can be made, and C) repairs are made within 3 flight days.' knowing that lga was a maintenance base call our operations/maintenance to tell them we were coming in to gate. They immediately told us that they had 'no time to repair it.' puzzled, we returned to gate. Mechanic came on board, went to pull fdr. Supervisor came out and pointed to note #1 (not referenced in section) that states 'a designated repair airport is considered one in which there are parts, facilities, personnel, and time to return the fdr to service.' the supervisor directed the other mechanic with the removed fdr on his shoulder 1/2 way up the passenger cabin to reinstall it and put the item on mco. He also made it clear that this was a flight crew delay.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B757-200 RETURNED TO THE GATE TO CORRECT A FAILED FDR PER THE MEL DUE TO THE STATION HAVING THE PARTS AND TECHNICIANS. A CONTENTIOUS MAINT SUPVR WOULD NOT ALLOW REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT AND UNIT WAS DEFERRED PER THE MEL.

Narrative: DURING TAXI OUT, GOT STATUS MESSAGE FDR WAS INOP. ATTEMPTED 3 CLRS AND THEN TAXIED INTO POS ON RWY. STATUS APPEARED AGAIN. ASKED TWR TO RETURN TO GATE DUE TO OUR INITIAL LOOK AT THE MAINT DISPATCH MANUAL WHICH STATES: FLC MAY PLACARD, 1 INSTALLED, 0 REQUIRED, CLASS A MCO AND 'MAY BE INOP PROVIDED A) CFR OPERATES NORMALLY, B) AIRPLANE IS NOT DISPATCHED FROM A DESIGNATED ARPT WHERE REPAIRS CAN BE MADE, AND C) REPAIRS ARE MADE WITHIN 3 FLT DAYS.' KNOWING THAT LGA WAS A MAINT BASE CALL OUR OPS/MAINT TO TELL THEM WE WERE COMING IN TO GATE. THEY IMMEDIATELY TOLD US THAT THEY HAD 'NO TIME TO REPAIR IT.' PUZZLED, WE RETURNED TO GATE. MECH CAME ON BOARD, WENT TO PULL FDR. SUPVR CAME OUT AND POINTED TO NOTE #1 (NOT REFED IN SECTION) THAT STATES 'A DESIGNATED REPAIR ARPT IS CONSIDERED ONE IN WHICH THERE ARE PARTS, FACILITIES, PERSONNEL, AND TIME TO RETURN THE FDR TO SVC.' THE SUPVR DIRECTED THE OTHER MECH WITH THE REMOVED FDR ON HIS SHOULDER 1/2 WAY UP THE PAX CABIN TO REINSTALL IT AND PUT THE ITEM ON MCO. HE ALSO MADE IT CLR THAT THIS WAS A FLC DELAY.

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.