Narrative:

During preflight planning in ZZZ flight operations I was reviewing the log history for aircraft X. I noticed there was an 'information only' gripe noting that a previous captain that day had refused the aircraft for a rudder limiter fault. Aircraft also had 4 write-ups for a lgciu 2 fault in the past several days; clearly indicating to me that it has not been fixed. I called dispatch to refuse the aircraft for the above maintenance issues. Dispatch was very helpful and said he would immediately send a message refusing the aircraft. Later while waiting in flight operations; I noticed on line that the second aircraft planned for this flight had an inoperative APU. Again I called dispatch and refused this aircraft for this maintenance issue. While waiting for another aircraft to be assigned to our flight; I wondered if my refusals were showing up on these log histories. They were not. In fact; the second aircraft (Y) was now en route. Another captain had signed for this aircraft after my refusal. I called maintenance to inquire how to get an 'information only' write-up for aircraft X in the log history. After some discussion; he explained that he could not do that on account that the aircraft had no open maintenance items. No 'information only' write-up was added. Pilots have been led to believe that when a captain refuses an aircraft; it will be noted in the 'log history.' this is not being done. When I sign for an aircraft; I want every piece of pertinent maintenance information available to me; 'definitely including past captain refusal.' this is not being provided. Broken aircraft are being offered to the next unsuspecting captain without this vital information. The system and plan in place is not working correctly. Line capts are in the dark regarding this important piece of information. When a dispatcher inputs a message from a captain to refuse an aircraft; it should automatically generate an 'information only' write up for that aircraft. At the completion of my 4-DAY trip; I pulled up the log histories of aircraft X and Y. In fact there were no entries from my refusals. On aircraft X there were 2 more lgciu 2 fault write-ups and another rud trv lim fault write-up following my refusal.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN A320 PILOT REPORTS THAT AFTER A PILOT REFUSES AN ACFT FOR A PREVIOUSLY RECORDED MAINT ISSUE HIS ACR DOES NOT RECORD THAT REFUSAL FOR OTHER PILOTS TO REFERENCE.

Narrative: DURING PREFLT PLANNING IN ZZZ FLT OPS I WAS REVIEWING THE LOG HISTORY FOR ACFT X. I NOTICED THERE WAS AN 'INFO ONLY' GRIPE NOTING THAT A PREVIOUS CAPT THAT DAY HAD REFUSED THE ACFT FOR A RUDDER LIMITER FAULT. ACFT ALSO HAD 4 WRITE-UPS FOR A LGCIU 2 FAULT IN THE PAST SEVERAL DAYS; CLEARLY INDICATING TO ME THAT IT HAS NOT BEEN FIXED. I CALLED DISPATCH TO REFUSE THE ACFT FOR THE ABOVE MAINT ISSUES. DISPATCH WAS VERY HELPFUL AND SAID HE WOULD IMMEDIATELY SEND A MESSAGE REFUSING THE ACFT. LATER WHILE WAITING IN FLT OPS; I NOTICED ON LINE THAT THE SECOND ACFT PLANNED FOR THIS FLT HAD AN INOP APU. AGAIN I CALLED DISPATCH AND REFUSED THIS ACFT FOR THIS MAINT ISSUE. WHILE WAITING FOR ANOTHER ACFT TO BE ASSIGNED TO OUR FLT; I WONDERED IF MY REFUSALS WERE SHOWING UP ON THESE LOG HISTORIES. THEY WERE NOT. IN FACT; THE SECOND ACFT (Y) WAS NOW ENRTE. ANOTHER CAPT HAD SIGNED FOR THIS ACFT AFTER MY REFUSAL. I CALLED MAINT TO INQUIRE HOW TO GET AN 'INFO ONLY' WRITE-UP FOR ACFT X IN THE LOG HISTORY. AFTER SOME DISCUSSION; HE EXPLAINED THAT HE COULD NOT DO THAT ON ACCOUNT THAT THE ACFT HAD NO OPEN MAINT ITEMS. NO 'INFO ONLY' WRITE-UP WAS ADDED. PLTS HAVE BEEN LED TO BELIEVE THAT WHEN A CAPT REFUSES AN ACFT; IT WILL BE NOTED IN THE 'LOG HISTORY.' THIS IS NOT BEING DONE. WHEN I SIGN FOR AN ACFT; I WANT EVERY PIECE OF PERTINENT MAINT INFO AVAILABLE TO ME; 'DEFINITELY INCLUDING PAST CAPT REFUSAL.' THIS IS NOT BEING PROVIDED. BROKEN ACFT ARE BEING OFFERED TO THE NEXT UNSUSPECTING CAPT WITHOUT THIS VITAL INFO. THE SYS AND PLAN IN PLACE IS NOT WORKING CORRECTLY. LINE CAPTS ARE IN THE DARK REGARDING THIS IMPORTANT PIECE OF INFO. WHEN A DISPATCHER INPUTS A MESSAGE FROM A CAPT TO REFUSE AN ACFT; IT SHOULD AUTOMATICALLY GENERATE AN 'INFO ONLY' WRITE UP FOR THAT ACFT. AT THE COMPLETION OF MY 4-DAY TRIP; I PULLED UP THE LOG HISTORIES OF ACFT X AND Y. IN FACT THERE WERE NO ENTRIES FROM MY REFUSALS. ON ACFT X THERE WERE 2 MORE LGCIU 2 FAULT WRITE-UPS AND ANOTHER RUD TRV LIM FAULT WRITE-UP FOLLOWING MY REFUSAL.

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.