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Captain refuses B737 with inoperative yaw damper due to forecast thunderstorms and turbulence en route. Encounters swarm of chief pilots who threaten him with 'serious ramifications' for exercising his command authority/authorized.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 622267 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200405 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Weather Elements | Thunderstorm Turbulence |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| 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 : 4950 flight time total : 23650 flight time type : 220 |
| ASRS Report | 622267 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | other personnel other oversight : supervisor |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : non compliance with mel non adherence : far other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | other |
| Consequence | other other Other |
| Factors | |
| Maintenance | contributing factor : schedule pressure performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance Company Aircraft |
| Primary Problem | Company |
Narrative:
Maintenance crew unable to repair 'yaw damper inoperative' write up. I refused aircraft due to en route WX (thunderstorms and moderate turbulence) due to previous experience with yaw damper inoperative on B737-500. Last time many customers got off the flight, air sick and very unhappy! Based on those experiences I requested new aircraft. Chief pilot showed up and I was told 'that serious ramifications could occur if I refused flight.' I said I would stand by my decision! Several more pilot supervisors showed at gate and removed me from trip. The aircraft was swapped as I requested and flown by reserve captain to destination.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: CAPT REFUSES B737 WITH INOP YAW DAMPER DUE TO FORECAST TSTMS AND TURB ENRTE. ENCOUNTERS SWARM OF CHIEF PLTS WHO THREATEN HIM WITH 'SERIOUS RAMIFICATIONS' FOR EXERCISING HIS COMMAND AUTH.
Narrative: MAINT CREW UNABLE TO REPAIR 'YAW DAMPER INOP' WRITE UP. I REFUSED ACFT DUE TO ENRTE WX (TSTMS AND MODERATE TURB) DUE TO PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE WITH YAW DAMPER INOP ON B737-500. LAST TIME MANY CUSTOMERS GOT OFF THE FLT, AIR SICK AND VERY UNHAPPY! BASED ON THOSE EXPERIENCES I REQUESTED NEW ACFT. CHIEF PLT SHOWED UP AND I WAS TOLD 'THAT SERIOUS RAMIFICATIONS COULD OCCUR IF I REFUSED FLT.' I SAID I WOULD STAND BY MY DECISION! SEVERAL MORE PLT SUPVRS SHOWED AT GATE AND REMOVED ME FROM TRIP. THE ACFT WAS SWAPPED AS I REQUESTED AND FLOWN BY RESERVE CAPT TO DEST.
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.