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Flight crew of B737-300 struggled to obtain proper maintenance release for departure, and then learned upon arrival at destination that the release was still incorrect.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 573681 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200302 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : ord.airport |
| State Reference | IL |
| Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Light | Dawn |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | A300 |
| 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 : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 190 flight time total : 16000 flight time type : 3659 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| ASRS Report | 573682 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe maintenance problem : improper documentation maintenance problem : improper maintenance non adherence : company policies non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | other other |
| Factors | |
| Maintenance | contributing factor : schedule pressure performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements performance deficiency : logbook entry performance deficiency : inspection |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Maintenance Human Performance Company Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Maintenance Human Performance |
Narrative:
Upon arriving at aircraft, gate mechanic was re-deferring the #2 fuel gauge. There were several calls made to dispatch by 2 different people changing the deferral from XXXU to XXXE and back again. The deferral difference was regarding a gauge in the cockpit as opposed to both cockpit and underwing, which was the case. When I received release 2, release 3, and ultimately release 4, it was wrong in each case, and we were almost allowed to be dispatched illegally by maintenance. I refused to allow the door to shut until it was straightened out. Called maintenance with dispatch on phone, was told by supervisor xxxxe was good, but had no idea who or why all the changes took place prior. Then in bdl, fueler came to cockpit and said another discrepancy as the #1 fuel gauge had a deferral sticker (underwing) and all the paperwork said #2 inoperative. Called maintenance and switched sticker to proper gauge. There are too many people involved in the deferral process. It really only involves 3 -- dispatch, maintenance, and the captain.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: FLT CREW OF B737-300 STRUGGLED TO OBTAIN PROPER MAINT RELEASE FOR DEP, AND THEN LEARNED UPON ARR AT DEST THAT THE RELEASE WAS STILL INCORRECT.
Narrative: UPON ARRIVING AT ACFT, GATE MECH WAS RE-DEFERRING THE #2 FUEL GAUGE. THERE WERE SEVERAL CALLS MADE TO DISPATCH BY 2 DIFFERENT PEOPLE CHANGING THE DEFERRAL FROM XXXU TO XXXE AND BACK AGAIN. THE DEFERRAL DIFFERENCE WAS REGARDING A GAUGE IN THE COCKPIT AS OPPOSED TO BOTH COCKPIT AND UNDERWING, WHICH WAS THE CASE. WHEN I RECEIVED RELEASE 2, RELEASE 3, AND ULTIMATELY RELEASE 4, IT WAS WRONG IN EACH CASE, AND WE WERE ALMOST ALLOWED TO BE DISPATCHED ILLEGALLY BY MAINT. I REFUSED TO ALLOW THE DOOR TO SHUT UNTIL IT WAS STRAIGHTENED OUT. CALLED MAINT WITH DISPATCH ON PHONE, WAS TOLD BY SUPVR XXXXE WAS GOOD, BUT HAD NO IDEA WHO OR WHY ALL THE CHANGES TOOK PLACE PRIOR. THEN IN BDL, FUELER CAME TO COCKPIT AND SAID ANOTHER DISCREPANCY AS THE #1 FUEL GAUGE HAD A DEFERRAL STICKER (UNDERWING) AND ALL THE PAPERWORK SAID #2 INOP. CALLED MAINT AND SWITCHED STICKER TO PROPER GAUGE. THERE ARE TOO MANY PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THE DEFERRAL PROCESS. IT REALLY ONLY INVOLVES 3 -- DISPATCH, MAINT, AND THE CAPT.
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.