<< >> NASA ASRS Report 511617, May 2001

A B737-300 flight crew accepts their aircraft with a misidented part that was not an MEL item but later thought to be at sfo, ca.

Attributes
ACN	511617
Time
Date	200105
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sfo.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : pit.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 6500 flight time type : 1700
ASRS Report	511617
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe maintenance problem : improper maintenance maintenance problem : non compliance with mel maintenance problem : improper documentation non adherence : company policies non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other other : disp 3
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other other
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : schedule pressure performance deficiency : unqualified personnel performance deficiency : inspection performance deficiency : logbook entry
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company Flight Crew Human Performance Maintenance Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

Prior to pushback, we received a new maintenance release document. It had a new deferred item on it, '#2 engine upper pylon fastener missing.' due to the short turn time, I assumed it was merely a cowling fastener. Therefore, I did not question the mechanic. In cruise, the dispatcher ACARS'ed me and asked for me to call him on the ground. When I spoke to him, he informed me that the airplane had been dispatched with an illegal deferral. Per the write-up, the fastener required an eddy current inspection prior to release. It later turned out it was just a cowling fastener, due to the poor write-up. The airplane was illegally dispatched.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-300 FLC ACCEPTS THEIR ACFT WITH A MISIDENTED PART THAT WAS NOT AN MEL ITEM BUT LATER THOUGHT TO BE AT SFO, CA.

Narrative: PRIOR TO PUSHBACK, WE RECEIVED A NEW MAINT RELEASE DOCUMENT. IT HAD A NEW DEFERRED ITEM ON IT, '#2 ENG UPPER PYLON FASTENER MISSING.' DUE TO THE SHORT TURN TIME, I ASSUMED IT WAS MERELY A COWLING FASTENER. THEREFORE, I DID NOT QUESTION THE MECH. IN CRUISE, THE DISPATCHER ACARS'ED ME AND ASKED FOR ME TO CALL HIM ON THE GND. WHEN I SPOKE TO HIM, HE INFORMED ME THAT THE AIRPLANE HAD BEEN DISPATCHED WITH AN ILLEGAL DEFERRAL. PER THE WRITE-UP, THE FASTENER REQUIRED AN EDDY CURRENT INSPECTION PRIOR TO RELEASE. IT LATER TURNED OUT IT WAS JUST A COWLING FASTENER, DUE TO THE POOR WRITE-UP. THE AIRPLANE WAS ILLEGALLY DISPATCHED.

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.