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An A300-600R was dispatched with the rudder trim indicator inoperative per the MEL. In-flight; crew discovered rudder trim system was inoperative and not indicator failure. Returned to departure airport.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 689430 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200603 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : zzz.tower |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | A300 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | ground : parked ground : maintenance |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| ASRS Report | 689430 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : non compliance with mel non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : rudder trim indicator other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : overcame equipment problem other |
| Consequence | other other |
| Factors | |
| Maintenance | contributing factor : schedule pressure performance deficiency : logbook entry performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements performance deficiency : testing |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Chart Or Publication Environmental Factor Maintenance Human Performance Aircraft |
| Primary Problem | Maintenance Human Performance |
Narrative:
Previous flight had written up the rudder trim as inoperative with no indication of movement in the rudder trim indication window. The rudder trim indicator was placarded inoperative by maintenance. After takeoff; I noticed that the aircraft was yawing slightly. I tried to trim out the yaw but discovered that the rudder trim selector was inoperative. It appears the trim indicator was placarded as inoperative without checking to make sure the trim actually worked. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated that maintenance should have tested the rudder trim system on the ground before deferring the rudder trim indicator as inoperative; adding the MEL item certainly has special procedures to accomplish the rudder trim check and if actual rudder trim is inoperative; it's a 'no go' item. The reporter stated the fix was replacement of the rudder trim control head in the cockpit.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN A300-600R WAS DISPATCHED WITH THE RUDDER TRIM INDICATOR INOP PER THE MEL. INFLT; CREW DISCOVERED RUDDER TRIM SYS WAS INOP AND NOT INDICATOR FAILURE. RETURNED TO DEP ARPT.
Narrative: PREVIOUS FLT HAD WRITTEN UP THE RUDDER TRIM AS INOP WITH NO INDICATION OF MOVEMENT IN THE RUDDER TRIM INDICATION WINDOW. THE RUDDER TRIM INDICATOR WAS PLACARDED INOP BY MAINT. AFTER TKOF; I NOTICED THAT THE ACFT WAS YAWING SLIGHTLY. I TRIED TO TRIM OUT THE YAW BUT DISCOVERED THAT THE RUDDER TRIM SELECTOR WAS INOP. IT APPEARS THE TRIM INDICATOR WAS PLACARDED AS INOP WITHOUT CHKING TO MAKE SURE THE TRIM ACTUALLY WORKED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THAT MAINT SHOULD HAVE TESTED THE RUDDER TRIM SYS ON THE GND BEFORE DEFERRING THE RUDDER TRIM INDICATOR AS INOP; ADDING THE MEL ITEM CERTAINLY HAS SPECIAL PROCS TO ACCOMPLISH THE RUDDER TRIM CHK AND IF ACTUAL RUDDER TRIM IS INOP; IT'S A 'NO GO' ITEM. THE RPTR STATED THE FIX WAS REPLACEMENT OF THE RUDDER TRIM CTL HEAD IN THE COCKPIT.
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.