<< >> NASA ASRS Report 649250, March 2005

An EMB145 captain expresses concern over deferral of 1 engine fire extinguisher bottle being inoperative. Believes check should be made of remaining bottle prior to each departure.

Attributes
ACN	649250
Time
Date	200503
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	EMB ERJ 145 ER&LR
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
ASRS Report	649250
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : non compliance with mel maintenance problem : improper maintenance maintenance problem : improper documentation non adherence : company policies non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : fire bottle discharge light 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 : fault isolation performance deficiency : testing performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements performance deficiency : logbook entry
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Maintenance Human Performance Aircraft Chart Or Publication Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

MEL 26-4 concerns an inoperative engine fire bottle. It requires an inspection of the good fire bottle only once per flight day. I feel this is an unsafe MEL. The good bottle (in my opinion) should be inspected prior to each flight. Please reference MEL's 35-1; 29-8; 29-9; and 29-10. These MEL's require an inspection prior to each flight. In the case of 29-8-9 and 10; these concern the hydraulic fluid and pressure indication. Example: if 1 hydraulic fluid indicator is inoperative; a visual check is made prior to each flight to verify hydraulic quantity even though there would be physical and visual evidence of a hydraulic leak during post- or preflight. In the case of MEL 26-4; there would be no visible of physical indication that the remaining bottle had lost its pressure. Please reconsider this MEL.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN EMB145 CAPT EXPRESSES CONCERN OVER DEFERRAL OF 1 ENG FIRE EXTINGUISHER BOTTLE BEING INOP. BELIEVES CHK SHOULD BE MADE OF REMAINING BOTTLE PRIOR TO EACH DEP.

Narrative: MEL 26-4 CONCERNS AN INOP ENG FIRE BOTTLE. IT REQUIRES AN INSPECTION OF THE GOOD FIRE BOTTLE ONLY ONCE PER FLT DAY. I FEEL THIS IS AN UNSAFE MEL. THE GOOD BOTTLE (IN MY OPINION) SHOULD BE INSPECTED PRIOR TO EACH FLT. PLEASE REF MEL'S 35-1; 29-8; 29-9; AND 29-10. THESE MEL'S REQUIRE AN INSPECTION PRIOR TO EACH FLT. IN THE CASE OF 29-8-9 AND 10; THESE CONCERN THE HYD FLUID AND PRESSURE INDICATION. EXAMPLE: IF 1 HYD FLUID INDICATOR IS INOP; A VISUAL CHK IS MADE PRIOR TO EACH FLT TO VERIFY HYD QUANTITY EVEN THOUGH THERE WOULD BE PHYSICAL AND VISUAL EVIDENCE OF A HYD LEAK DURING POST- OR PREFLT. IN THE CASE OF MEL 26-4; THERE WOULD BE NO VISIBLE OF PHYSICAL INDICATION THAT THE REMAINING BOTTLE HAD LOST ITS PRESSURE. PLEASE RECONSIDER THIS MEL.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.