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An EMB145 PIC questions the changing dates of the extended MEL pertaining to gust locks inoperative on his aircraft prior to flight and succeeding flts at ZZZ, us.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 504510 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200103 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Weather Elements | Thunderstorm |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | EMB ERJ 145 ER&LR |
| 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 : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 270 flight time total : 16000 flight time type : 1130 |
| ASRS Report | 504510 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe maintenance problem : improper documentation other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Consequence | other |
| Factors | |
| Maintenance | contributing factor : schedule pressure contributing factor : manuals contributing factor : briefing performance deficiency : logbook entry performance deficiency : scheduled maintenance |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Maintenance Human Performance Aircraft Company |
| Primary Problem | Maintenance Human Performance |
Narrative:
Aircraft maintenance logbook showed MEL 27-11, gust lock inoperative with an MEL extension to aircraft block hours of 4483 hours. However, the flight release also showed an MEL expiration date of mar/xa/01. [Flight date was 9 days later.] I called dispatch to confirm that the aircraft block hour extension was overriding. Dispatch and maintenance operations control confirmed this, but would not remove the expiration date (of 9 days ago). I was uncomfortable with the expiration date of mar/xa/01 on my release. I requested and received an ACARS printout confirming the flight was legal. 2 hours later, on my flight release for this aircraft's next flight, the expiration date had been changed to jul/xa/01. Why? On my next flight it had changed to apr/xa/01. Why? Were we legal or not? Our manuals do not address this situation.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN EMB145 PIC QUESTIONS THE CHANGING DATES OF THE EXTENDED MEL PERTAINING TO GUST LOCKS INOP ON HIS ACFT PRIOR TO FLT AND SUCCEEDING FLTS AT ZZZ, US.
Narrative: ACFT MAINT LOGBOOK SHOWED MEL 27-11, GUST LOCK INOP WITH AN MEL EXTENSION TO ACFT BLOCK HRS OF 4483 HRS. HOWEVER, THE FLT RELEASE ALSO SHOWED AN MEL EXPIRATION DATE OF MAR/XA/01. [FLT DATE WAS 9 DAYS LATER.] I CALLED DISPATCH TO CONFIRM THAT THE ACFT BLOCK HR EXTENSION WAS OVERRIDING. DISPATCH AND MAINT OPS CTL CONFIRMED THIS, BUT WOULD NOT REMOVE THE EXPIRATION DATE (OF 9 DAYS AGO). I WAS UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THE EXPIRATION DATE OF MAR/XA/01 ON MY RELEASE. I REQUESTED AND RECEIVED AN ACARS PRINTOUT CONFIRMING THE FLT WAS LEGAL. 2 HRS LATER, ON MY FLT RELEASE FOR THIS ACFT'S NEXT FLT, THE EXPIRATION DATE HAD BEEN CHANGED TO JUL/XA/01. WHY? ON MY NEXT FLT IT HAD CHANGED TO APR/XA/01. WHY? WERE WE LEGAL OR NOT? OUR MANUALS DO NOT ADDRESS THIS SIT.
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.