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An embraer 145 captain reports special MEL procedure for deferring a passenger seat is inadequate. 'Do not occupy' placard does not stick to seat.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 588871 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200307 |
| Day | Thu |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Embraer Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | ground : preflight ground : parked ground : maintenance |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| ASRS Report | 588871 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | maintenance : technician |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : non compliance with mel non adherence : company policies non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | other other |
| Factors | |
| Maintenance | performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Chart Or Publication Aircraft Maintenance Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Company |
| Situations | |
| Publication | MEL |
Narrative:
Seat X was MEL'ed because the recline mechanism cover was missing. Maintenance did all the paperwork. The seat was MEL'ed completely. Maintenance put a 'do not use' sticker on it. Upon reading the MEL, it says to place a 'do not occupy' sign on the seat. I questioned maintenance about it. I was told because the 'do not occupy' sign did not stick to the seat surface, it tended to disappear, thus creating another problem. I was later questioned about this new practice and I could not find a consistent answer from management. No passenger used or occupied that seat.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN EMBRAER 145 CAPT RPTS SPECIAL MEL PROC FOR DEFERRING A PAX SEAT IS INADEQUATE. 'DO NOT OCCUPY' PLACARD DOES NOT STICK TO SEAT.
Narrative: SEAT X WAS MEL'ED BECAUSE THE RECLINE MECHANISM COVER WAS MISSING. MAINT DID ALL THE PAPERWORK. THE SEAT WAS MEL'ED COMPLETELY. MAINT PUT A 'DO NOT USE' STICKER ON IT. UPON READING THE MEL, IT SAYS TO PLACE A 'DO NOT OCCUPY' SIGN ON THE SEAT. I QUESTIONED MAINT ABOUT IT. I WAS TOLD BECAUSE THE 'DO NOT OCCUPY' SIGN DID NOT STICK TO THE SEAT SURFACE, IT TENDED TO DISAPPEAR, THUS CREATING ANOTHER PROB. I WAS LATER QUESTIONED ABOUT THIS NEW PRACTICE AND I COULD NOT FIND A CONSISTENT ANSWER FROM MGMNT. NO PAX USED OR OCCUPIED THAT SEAT.
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.