An airbus A-320 pilot notices the deferred aft cargo hot air valve is supposed to be in the closed position; but the ECAM page shows as open. Maintenance supervisor removes placard; tries to dispatch aircraft; pilot refuses.

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Attributes
ACN	767366
Time
Date	200712
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
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
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 18000 flight time type : 1800
ASRS Report	767366
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	oversight : supervisor
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : non compliance with mel maintenance problem : improper maintenance non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : ecam
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	other
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : schedule pressure performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements performance deficiency : fault isolation performance deficiency : testing performance deficiency : logbook entry
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company Environmental Factor Maintenance Human Performance
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance
Situations
Publication	MEL Proc Not Followed

Narrative:

Dec/xa/07 this aircraft had a write-up for the aft cargo heat hot air valve being inoperative. Signoff indicated valve needed replaced and no parts were in stock; so valve was deferred. I picked up airplane on dec/xa/07 in ZZZ. According to deferral; aft cargo hot air valve switch was to be placed off; which it was and hot air valve was to be confirmed closed. According to ECAM page valve was opened. I notified ZZZ maintenance. A mechanic came to aircraft and agreed valve was supposed to be closed but was in fact opened. He attempted to close the valve but could not. ZZZ maintenance supervisor came; we explained situation to him. He placed the aft cargo heat hot air valve to the open position and removed the deferral sticker and told me he was going to sign off the write-up. I asked how he could do that as the write-up indicated the valve needed replaced and they did not replace the valve; he just removed the sticker. He gave no answer. As a side note at this point I could not close the valve with the aft cargo heat hot air switch. So the valve was failed open and signed off by ZZZ maintenance. I refused the aircraft. ZZZ maintenance then manually closed and safetied the aft cargo heat hot air valve. This is my second report in 30 regarding ZZZ maintenance and their what appears to be concern for on time; not safety.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN AIRBUS A-320 PILOT NOTICES THE DEFERRED AFT CARGO HOT AIR VALVE IS SUPPOSED TO BE IN THE CLOSED POSITION; BUT THE ECAM PAGE SHOWS AS OPEN. MAINT SUPVR REMOVES PLACARD; TRIES TO DISPATCH ACFT; PILOT REFUSES.

Narrative: DEC/XA/07 THIS ACFT HAD A WRITE-UP FOR THE AFT CARGO HEAT HOT AIR VALVE BEING INOP. SIGNOFF INDICATED VALVE NEEDED REPLACED AND NO PARTS WERE IN STOCK; SO VALVE WAS DEFERRED. I PICKED UP AIRPLANE ON DEC/XA/07 IN ZZZ. ACCORDING TO DEFERRAL; AFT CARGO HOT AIR VALVE SWITCH WAS TO BE PLACED OFF; WHICH IT WAS AND HOT AIR VALVE WAS TO BE CONFIRMED CLOSED. ACCORDING TO ECAM PAGE VALVE WAS OPENED. I NOTIFIED ZZZ MAINT. A MECH CAME TO ACFT AND AGREED VALVE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE CLOSED BUT WAS IN FACT OPENED. HE ATTEMPTED TO CLOSE THE VALVE BUT COULD NOT. ZZZ MAINT SUPVR CAME; WE EXPLAINED SITUATION TO HIM. HE PLACED THE AFT CARGO HEAT HOT AIR VALVE TO THE OPEN POS AND REMOVED THE DEFERRAL STICKER AND TOLD ME HE WAS GOING TO SIGN OFF THE WRITE-UP. I ASKED HOW HE COULD DO THAT AS THE WRITE-UP INDICATED THE VALVE NEEDED REPLACED AND THEY DID NOT REPLACE THE VALVE; HE JUST REMOVED THE STICKER. HE GAVE NO ANSWER. AS A SIDE NOTE AT THIS POINT I COULD NOT CLOSE THE VALVE WITH THE AFT CARGO HEAT HOT AIR SWITCH. SO THE VALVE WAS FAILED OPEN AND SIGNED OFF BY ZZZ MAINT. I REFUSED THE ACFT. ZZZ MAINT THEN MANUALLY CLOSED AND SAFETIED THE AFT CARGO HEAT HOT AIR VALVE. THIS IS MY SECOND RPT IN 30 REGARDING ZZZ MAINT AND THEIR WHAT APPEARS TO BE CONCERN FOR ON TIME; NOT SAFETY.

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.