Narrative:

In the past, maintenance was doing a good job of checking the condition of the rubber guards that are placed on the hgs combiner hinges. Recently, however, I am encountering several aircraft in disrepair over the course of a 3-DAY trip. The safety implications are probably obvious! A captain is vulnerable to a head wound if the sharp-edged hinges are exposed. Of even greater concern is the detrimental effect such an injury could have in a violent struggle to maintain control of the aircraft. In such a case, the force of impact with these unprotected surfaces would quickly render the pilot unconscious. I recommend that checking the presence and condition of these protective rubber guards be a mandatory item on pilot monitoring's checks. I further recommend that the practice of placing such discrepancies on 'maintenance note' be discontinued. An item that involves (personal) safety, should not be deferred for departmental convenience. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated when the HUD is stored, the sharp-edged hinges, if unguarded, present a safety hazard. The reporter said the hinge guards are deteriorating and are not being maintained in a safe condition.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-300 CAPT RPTS HUD UNIT'S HINGE GUARDS ARE WORN OR MISSING AND ARE A SAFETY OF FLT PROB. GUARDS ARE NOT BEING MAINTAINED.

Narrative: IN THE PAST, MAINT WAS DOING A GOOD JOB OF CHKING THE CONDITION OF THE RUBBER GUARDS THAT ARE PLACED ON THE HGS COMBINER HINGES. RECENTLY, HOWEVER, I AM ENCOUNTERING SEVERAL ACFT IN DISREPAIR OVER THE COURSE OF A 3-DAY TRIP. THE SAFETY IMPLICATIONS ARE PROBABLY OBVIOUS! A CAPT IS VULNERABLE TO A HEAD WOUND IF THE SHARP-EDGED HINGES ARE EXPOSED. OF EVEN GREATER CONCERN IS THE DETRIMENTAL EFFECT SUCH AN INJURY COULD HAVE IN A VIOLENT STRUGGLE TO MAINTAIN CTL OF THE ACFT. IN SUCH A CASE, THE FORCE OF IMPACT WITH THESE UNPROTECTED SURFACES WOULD QUICKLY RENDER THE PLT UNCONSCIOUS. I RECOMMEND THAT CHKING THE PRESENCE AND CONDITION OF THESE PROTECTIVE RUBBER GUARDS BE A MANDATORY ITEM ON PLT MONITORING'S CHKS. I FURTHER RECOMMEND THAT THE PRACTICE OF PLACING SUCH DISCREPANCIES ON 'MAINT NOTE' BE DISCONTINUED. AN ITEM THAT INVOLVES (PERSONAL) SAFETY, SHOULD NOT BE DEFERRED FOR DEPARTMENTAL CONVENIENCE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED WHEN THE HUD IS STORED, THE SHARP-EDGED HINGES, IF UNGUARDED, PRESENT A SAFETY HAZARD. THE RPTR SAID THE HINGE GUARDS ARE DETERIORATING AND ARE NOT BEING MAINTAINED IN A SAFE CONDITION.

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.