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An airbus A320 aircraft was found to have brake accumulator pressure at 2000 psi during preflight. Pilot concerned about maintenance providers.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 738093 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200705 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : ord.airport |
| State Reference | IL |
| Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | A320 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | ground : preflight |
| 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 : 12000 flight time type : 1000 |
| ASRS Report | 738093 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : improper maintenance non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : brake accumulator press. |
| Resolutory Action | other |
| Consequence | other |
| Factors | |
| Maintenance | performance deficiency : installation |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Aircraft Maintenance Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Maintenance Human Performance |
Narrative:
During preflight planning; we observed our brake accumulator pressure at 2000 psi; well below that required; and lower than I've ever seen on this aircraft type. The brakes were also released; with no main wheel chocks in place. Maintenance ran the yellow electric pump to pressurize; and the pressure returned to the normal green range followed by an immediate bleed down back to nearly 2000 psi. Maintenance svced the accumulator and found 2 brass fitting nuts in the wheel well area; which the mechanic showed to me as evidence of the problem's cause. They made repairs and the rest of the flight was normal. I have submitted this report because of my concern for the safety of our equipment which is receiving ever greater amount of out-sourced maintenance. This was a critical safety of flight system; and I feel our maintenance practices leading to such gross neglect to be reviewed and corrected. In this case; the lowest cost provider may not be suitable.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN AIRBUS A320 ACFT WAS FOUND TO HAVE BRAKE ACCUMULATOR PRESSURE AT 2000 PSI DURING PREFLIGHT. PILOT CONCERNED ABOUT MAINT PROVIDERS.
Narrative: DURING PREFLT PLANNING; WE OBSERVED OUR BRAKE ACCUMULATOR PRESSURE AT 2000 PSI; WELL BELOW THAT REQUIRED; AND LOWER THAN I'VE EVER SEEN ON THIS ACFT TYPE. THE BRAKES WERE ALSO RELEASED; WITH NO MAIN WHEEL CHOCKS IN PLACE. MAINT RAN THE YELLOW ELECTRIC PUMP TO PRESSURIZE; AND THE PRESSURE RETURNED TO THE NORMAL GREEN RANGE FOLLOWED BY AN IMMEDIATE BLEED DOWN BACK TO NEARLY 2000 PSI. MAINT SVCED THE ACCUMULATOR AND FOUND 2 BRASS FITTING NUTS IN THE WHEEL WELL AREA; WHICH THE MECH SHOWED TO ME AS EVIDENCE OF THE PROBLEM'S CAUSE. THEY MADE REPAIRS AND THE REST OF THE FLT WAS NORMAL. I HAVE SUBMITTED THIS RPT BECAUSE OF MY CONCERN FOR THE SAFETY OF OUR EQUIP WHICH IS RECEIVING EVER GREATER AMOUNT OF OUT-SOURCED MAINT. THIS WAS A CRITICAL SAFETY OF FLT SYS; AND I FEEL OUR MAINT PRACTICES LEADING TO SUCH GROSS NEGLECT TO BE REVIEWED AND CORRECTED. IN THIS CASE; THE LOWEST COST PROVIDER MAY NOT BE SUITABLE.
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.