Narrative:

Aircraft was dispatched with APU inoperative MEL 49-11-1-1 (B767 MEL). During pushback and engine start the left engine bleed valve did not open. We noted during preflight check of logbook multiple repeat entries concerning left engine bleed valve didn't open after engine start. Maintenance action was, started engine and checked prsov for movement, finding -- within tolerances. Since APU bleed wasn't available and now the left bleed off EICAS message as well as lights off indications were present, we ran the checklist for left engine bleed off. With mechanic on headset we cycled bleed valve switch. Ran up engine to 70% N2 twice then called maintenance control after referring to MEL and maintenance flow chart. Now MEL 36-11-1 stated runway limit weight penalty for bleed source problem and avoid icing conditions. WX was not a factor -- VFR clear to/from destination. What concerned the captain and myself was the weight penalty. As we delayed taxi discussing whether the flight could be safely conducted with maintenance control and dispatch we noted neither the APU or left engine bleed were designated as turnback items with maintenance. What we didn't know was how much penalty we'd take for the loss of 2 bleed sources, as dispatch was checking the figures. A third run up to 70% N2 was attempted and the left engine bleed valve opened -- away we went on our flight. Logbook entries were made stating left engine bleed light and EICAS message were received and went out after multiple attempts of run-ups. At the destination the left engine bleed valve was deferred. We were advised by a new dispatcher that a 47000 pound weight penalty was required to take off runway data. Given these numbers, at the first departure, a takeoff would be near runway structural weights for the runway used. Beside requesting extra fuel for the return leg, now the left engine bleed and APU were deferred leaving only 1 bleed source for pressurization.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B767-300 WAS OPERATED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH THE APU DEFERRED INOP AND A CHRONIC L ENG BLEED VALVE INTERMITTENT OP.

Narrative: ACFT WAS DISPATCHED WITH APU INOP MEL 49-11-1-1 (B767 MEL). DURING PUSHBACK AND ENG START THE L ENG BLEED VALVE DID NOT OPEN. WE NOTED DURING PREFLT CHK OF LOGBOOK MULTIPLE REPEAT ENTRIES CONCERNING L ENG BLEED VALVE DIDN'T OPEN AFTER ENG START. MAINT ACTION WAS, STARTED ENG AND CHKED PRSOV FOR MOVEMENT, FINDING -- WITHIN TOLERANCES. SINCE APU BLEED WASN'T AVAILABLE AND NOW THE L BLEED OFF EICAS MESSAGE AS WELL AS LIGHTS OFF INDICATIONS WERE PRESENT, WE RAN THE CHKLIST FOR L ENG BLEED OFF. WITH MECH ON HEADSET WE CYCLED BLEED VALVE SWITCH. RAN UP ENG TO 70% N2 TWICE THEN CALLED MAINT CTL AFTER REFERRING TO MEL AND MAINT FLOW CHART. NOW MEL 36-11-1 STATED RWY LIMIT WT PENALTY FOR BLEED SOURCE PROB AND AVOID ICING CONDITIONS. WX WAS NOT A FACTOR -- VFR CLR TO/FROM DEST. WHAT CONCERNED THE CAPT AND MYSELF WAS THE WT PENALTY. AS WE DELAYED TAXI DISCUSSING WHETHER THE FLT COULD BE SAFELY CONDUCTED WITH MAINT CTL AND DISPATCH WE NOTED NEITHER THE APU OR L ENG BLEED WERE DESIGNATED AS TURNBACK ITEMS WITH MAINT. WHAT WE DIDN'T KNOW WAS HOW MUCH PENALTY WE'D TAKE FOR THE LOSS OF 2 BLEED SOURCES, AS DISPATCH WAS CHKING THE FIGURES. A THIRD RUN UP TO 70% N2 WAS ATTEMPTED AND THE L ENG BLEED VALVE OPENED -- AWAY WE WENT ON OUR FLT. LOGBOOK ENTRIES WERE MADE STATING L ENG BLEED LIGHT AND EICAS MESSAGE WERE RECEIVED AND WENT OUT AFTER MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS OF RUN-UPS. AT THE DEST THE L ENG BLEED VALVE WAS DEFERRED. WE WERE ADVISED BY A NEW DISPATCHER THAT A 47000 LB WT PENALTY WAS REQUIRED TO TAKE OFF RWY DATA. GIVEN THESE NUMBERS, AT THE FIRST DEP, A TKOF WOULD BE NEAR RWY STRUCTURAL WTS FOR THE RWY USED. BESIDE REQUESTING EXTRA FUEL FOR THE RETURN LEG, NOW THE L ENG BLEED AND APU WERE DEFERRED LEAVING ONLY 1 BLEED SOURCE FOR PRESSURIZATION.

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.