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A B737-400 was dispatched in non compliance with the APU deferred as inoperative per the MEL. Special MEL procedures on checking for rotational failure not accomplished.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 599864 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200310 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737-400 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | ground : maintenance ground : takeoff roll |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | maintenance : technician |
| Qualification | technician : powerplant technician : airframe |
| Experience | maintenance technician : 41 |
| ASRS Report | 599864 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : non compliance with mel non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | other |
| Factors | |
| Maintenance | contributing factor : manuals contributing factor : schedule pressure performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements performance deficiency : inspection performance deficiency : fault isolation performance deficiency : logbook entry |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Maintenance Human Performance Aircraft Chart Or Publication |
| Primary Problem | Maintenance Human Performance |
Narrative:
Called aircraft, pilot unable to start APU. I went and did reset procedure on APU control module then I attempted start. Got heavy draw on amp gauge which indicated starter engagement, but APU failed to start which indicated to me no ignition and I had no reason to think APU was not rotating. While applying MEL 49-1, the special procedure was misinterpreted by me and I did not comply with job card X rotational failure inspection. I really feel the special procedure needs to be rewritten to clear up gray areas.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A B737-400 WAS DISPATCHED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH THE APU DEFERRED AS INOP PER THE MEL. SPECIAL MEL PROCS ON CHKING FOR ROTATIONAL FAILURE NOT ACCOMPLISHED.
Narrative: CALLED ACFT, PLT UNABLE TO START APU. I WENT AND DID RESET PROC ON APU CTL MODULE THEN I ATTEMPTED START. GOT HVY DRAW ON AMP GAUGE WHICH INDICATED STARTER ENGAGEMENT, BUT APU FAILED TO START WHICH INDICATED TO ME NO IGNITION AND I HAD NO REASON TO THINK APU WAS NOT ROTATING. WHILE APPLYING MEL 49-1, THE SPECIAL PROC WAS MISINTERPRETED BY ME AND I DID NOT COMPLY WITH JOB CARD X ROTATIONAL FAILURE INSPECTION. I REALLY FEEL THE SPECIAL PROC NEEDS TO BE REWRITTEN TO CLR UP GRAY AREAS.
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.