A B737-300 was dispatched with the forward cargo compartment inoperative and not to be loaded due to...

Attributes
ACN	661422
Time
Date	200506
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : pushback ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	661422
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : improper maintenance maintenance problem : improper documentation non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other other : 3
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other other other
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : schedule pressure contributing factor : manuals performance deficiency : inspection performance deficiency : repair
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Chart Or Publication Maintenance Human Performance
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

Prior to pushback; the ramp personnel advised us that he had observed a problem in the forward cargo bin. Apparently; where the pole that holds the bin open attaches to the hull; there was a hole in casing of the cargo area. He advised maintenance and then indicated to us that; in his opinion it was a fire hazard. Apparently; maintenance agreed; as they chose to defer the pit. We were at gate at ZZZ in aircraft X and were scheduled to push at XA20. We finally pushed off the gate at XA55. The problem was fixed and we had a current maintenance release doc at XA33; but apparently a supervisor wanted documentation and sent for a camera to photograph the area in question (or that he questioned; as maintenance apparently thought it was a legitimate gripe or they would not have deferred the pit). At any rate; the ramp person indicated that he has seen this particular issue crop up more and more frequently on the B737 fleet and felt it was a potential fire hazard; as the pit now had a hole that might inhibit the fire suppression capability of the aircraft. He indicated that sometimes the line mechanic supervisors and ramp supervisors are in agreement and sometimes they press the issue and overrule him.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-300 WAS DISPATCHED WITH THE FORWARD CARGO COMPARTMENT INOP AND NOT TO BE LOADED DUE TO HOLE IN PIT LINING.

Narrative: PRIOR TO PUSHBACK; THE RAMP PERSONNEL ADVISED US THAT HE HAD OBSERVED A PROB IN THE FORWARD CARGO BIN. APPARENTLY; WHERE THE POLE THAT HOLDS THE BIN OPEN ATTACHES TO THE HULL; THERE WAS A HOLE IN CASING OF THE CARGO AREA. HE ADVISED MAINT AND THEN INDICATED TO US THAT; IN HIS OPINION IT WAS A FIRE HAZARD. APPARENTLY; MAINT AGREED; AS THEY CHOSE TO DEFER THE PIT. WE WERE AT GATE AT ZZZ IN ACFT X AND WERE SCHEDULED TO PUSH AT XA20. WE FINALLY PUSHED OFF THE GATE AT XA55. THE PROB WAS FIXED AND WE HAD A CURRENT MAINT RELEASE DOC AT XA33; BUT APPARENTLY A SUPVR WANTED DOCUMENTATION AND SENT FOR A CAMERA TO PHOTOGRAPH THE AREA IN QUESTION (OR THAT HE QUESTIONED; AS MAINT APPARENTLY THOUGHT IT WAS A LEGITIMATE GRIPE OR THEY WOULD NOT HAVE DEFERRED THE PIT). AT ANY RATE; THE RAMP PERSON INDICATED THAT HE HAS SEEN THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE CROP UP MORE AND MORE FREQUENTLY ON THE B737 FLEET AND FELT IT WAS A POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARD; AS THE PIT NOW HAD A HOLE THAT MIGHT INHIBIT THE FIRE SUPPRESSION CAPABILITY OF THE ACFT. HE INDICATED THAT SOMETIMES THE LINE MECH SUPVRS AND RAMP SUPVRS ARE IN AGREEMENT AND SOMETIMES THEY PRESS THE ISSUE AND OVERRULE HIM.

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.

A B737-300 was dispatched with the forward cargo compartment inoperative and not to be loaded due to hole in pit lining.