Narrative:

I would like to start by saying that I think this airline is an accident waiting to happen. This flight was a classic; one thing happened right after another to the point that it ended with this report as I'm not even sure that I had a legal deferral for a forward cargo door indication. Upon arrival at the gate the csr advised me of 2 fam's that would board with the passenger. He spoke quite loudly; so asked him not to speak so loud with passenger around. I am an ffdo and needed to advise them of my presence but could not in person since most of them will not come to the cockpit anymore. Notification to the fam's happened via napkin at FL180 as I got distraction with all the other things which I will describe below. By the way; it is very inconvenient for the crews not to meet at least one of the fam's. Also; the gate agent never provided anything in writing to me (boarding passes) for the fam's just verbal notification. When the first officer came in from her walkaround she had 2 hazmat forms. Item #1 was paint; class 3; north/a sub risk; 4 pounds and item #2 was compressed oxygen; class 2.2; sub risk 5.1; 10 pounds. Both items were listed in aft #6. After consulting my dangerous goods section; I determined that based on the sub risk that the 2 packages should not be touching each other. I then had the first officer call operations to request that a ramp supervisor verify the location of each package and then come to the cockpit to verbally confirm the situation with me. A supervisor; a very knowledgeable and helpful person; came to the cockpit and verified that the packages were not touching. He stated that it was because 1 package was in location 4 and the other in location 6. He handed me the corrected forms and apologized for the error. Mr X stated that he had spoken to the person involved in the error. I have the forms if anyone is interested in seeing them. This has happened to me in the past and I filed a report on it; but got no reply. Hopefully; I'll hear back on this report. I have no doubt that attention to details like this happen daily given our current state. Just an accident waiting to happen; and by the way I wouldn't know where to look for a potential problem had there been an accident or emergency or know where to correctly tell responders all of my hazmat was. Next; just as we called on the headset for our push; we got a forward cargo door indication on the doors page. The ramp said all doors were closed so that was abnormal. I asked the ramp person to cycle the forward cargo door handle which he did with the same result. The ramp person then said that the door handle looked and felt funny to him when we said the door showed open. We then called maintenance and wrote up the door. The mechanic came and he said that he cleaned the contacts; he then operated the door several times. We had the same door open indication come on about 5 seconds after he closed the cargo door for the final time. The mechanic stated that the handle had some 'slop' in it but he could defer the indication or if I wanted he could get someone to look at the handle. This conversation happened via the ground interconnect. I opted to have a mechanic check the handle. We watched the cargo door cycle several times and never observed anyone attempting to access the avionics compartment. After 15 mins; the door was closed with no indication on the doors page. I asked to have the ramp person who originally told us of the problem operate the door so I could ask him if it felt or looked different to him. I did this for a few reasons. First he operates the door all day and knows when things don't feel or look right and he was the person who originally had expressed concern to me about the handle after he was unable to secure the door. Next; the first option for our mechanics is defer and go (as I learned in flight by reading the full MEL; a mechanic would need to go into the avionics bay to determine the lgciu standard before the appropriate deferral could be done. No one to my knowledge ever entered the avionics bay). Apparently; the mechanics have forgotten what happensto airplanes when the cargo door opens in flight and since it is not their rear ends on the flight they have nothing to lose right! There seems to be nothing but pressure to go with little emphasis on safety or fixing the problem which brings me to the most important reason for having the ramp person operate the door again. I had a lead mechanic get on the headset to tell me that the door showed closed below and that we could just go like that with a deferral. I told him that I had concerns about the slop in the door handle that the previous mechanic and ramp person both told me existed. I was told in no uncertain terms that his mechanic never said that and only the ramp person mentioned any slop. I'd like to know how he knew that since he was not present for those conversations. Clearly there was some pressure being applied to someone below and that was why I also wanted an unaffiliated third party involved. The lead mechanic then threw a fit and said 'well if you want the ramp to operate the handle; you don't need us.' the lead then took off the headset walked away and looked up at the cockpit and made a gesture with his hand that could only be taken as get the hell out of here! No mechanic ever spoke to us again on the subject. The mechanics all walked away and we had to call operations to determine if they were going to defer us or cancel us. A few mins later we got the deferral. I also printed the full MEL to check for dispatcher yes or no since I was recently burned by a late deferral that was a dispatch item but was not idented as such when the release arrived. I would read the full release in flight for reference which stated a mechanic needed to enter the avionics compartment to check the lgciu status which to the best of my knowledge never occurred. As a result I am submitting this report. En route I sent maintenance an ACARS to see if there was any way to determine lgciu status without going into the avionics compartment? The reply was no there was not. I then sent maintenance another ACARS asking them to advise the mechanics at maintenance control that I was submitting a report for the reason stated above. The reply was ok. I then sent an ACARS to dispatch advising them I was submitting a report for the flight and they acknowledged. Then I wrote up an engineering note to verify the lgciu logic so that the aircraft would have only flown 1 leg with the wrong deferral if in fact it was wrong. I say it that way because of the fact that I wasn't down below to see what went on; I was only in the cockpit with my indications and limited view (trying to get the jetway back so you can open the door to assess the speaker face to face takes an act of god here) I can only report what I believe to be the case. Who knows; maybe with all those cameras we have watching us there is a video of a mechanic entering the avionics bay or not. So we left under less than ideal conditions. Pilots blood pressure up; mechanics blood pressure up; flight attendants later expressed they were concerned; passenger worried; some about the airplane; some about being late. Fortunately; the flight was operated safely and close to on time; but this situation is occurring more and more every day. I haven't even touched on the fact that just about every first officer I fly with is getting furloughed for the second time here. They don't care if this place burns down for the most part. Try to get them to do anything that requires extra effort is nearly impossible. Again let me state that this airline is an accident waiting to happen. If it does it will be the end of this airline; something none of us who still thinks they have a job wants to happen!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A320 CAPT REPORTS CARGO DOOR WARNING PRIOR TO PUSH BACK AND IS UNABLE TO GET MAINTENANCE TO PERFORM CHECKS TO HIS SATISFACTION. OTHER ISSUES ALSO ADDRESSED.

Narrative: I WOULD LIKE TO START BY SAYING THAT I THINK THIS AIRLINE IS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. THIS FLT WAS A CLASSIC; ONE THING HAPPENED RIGHT AFTER ANOTHER TO THE POINT THAT IT ENDED WITH THIS REPORT AS I'M NOT EVEN SURE THAT I HAD A LEGAL DEFERRAL FOR A FORWARD CARGO DOOR INDICATION. UPON ARR AT THE GATE THE CSR ADVISED ME OF 2 FAM'S THAT WOULD BOARD WITH THE PAX. HE SPOKE QUITE LOUDLY; SO ASKED HIM NOT TO SPEAK SO LOUD WITH PAX AROUND. I AM AN FFDO AND NEEDED TO ADVISE THEM OF MY PRESENCE BUT COULD NOT IN PERSON SINCE MOST OF THEM WILL NOT COME TO THE COCKPIT ANYMORE. NOTIFICATION TO THE FAM'S HAPPENED VIA NAPKIN AT FL180 AS I GOT DISTR WITH ALL THE OTHER THINGS WHICH I WILL DESCRIBE BELOW. BY THE WAY; IT IS VERY INCONVENIENT FOR THE CREWS NOT TO MEET AT LEAST ONE OF THE FAM'S. ALSO; THE GATE AGENT NEVER PROVIDED ANYTHING IN WRITING TO ME (BOARDING PASSES) FOR THE FAM'S JUST VERBAL NOTIFICATION. WHEN THE FO CAME IN FROM HER WALKAROUND SHE HAD 2 HAZMAT FORMS. ITEM #1 WAS PAINT; CLASS 3; N/A SUB RISK; 4 LBS AND ITEM #2 WAS COMPRESSED OXYGEN; CLASS 2.2; SUB RISK 5.1; 10 LBS. BOTH ITEMS WERE LISTED IN AFT #6. AFTER CONSULTING MY DANGEROUS GOODS SECTION; I DETERMINED THAT BASED ON THE SUB RISK THAT THE 2 PACKAGES SHOULD NOT BE TOUCHING EACH OTHER. I THEN HAD THE FO CALL OPS TO REQUEST THAT A RAMP SUPVR VERIFY THE LOCATION OF EACH PACKAGE AND THEN COME TO THE COCKPIT TO VERBALLY CONFIRM THE SITUATION WITH ME. A SUPVR; A VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE AND HELPFUL PERSON; CAME TO THE COCKPIT AND VERIFIED THAT THE PACKAGES WERE NOT TOUCHING. HE STATED THAT IT WAS BECAUSE 1 PACKAGE WAS IN LOCATION 4 AND THE OTHER IN LOCATION 6. HE HANDED ME THE CORRECTED FORMS AND APOLOGIZED FOR THE ERROR. MR X STATED THAT HE HAD SPOKEN TO THE PERSON INVOLVED IN THE ERROR. I HAVE THE FORMS IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED IN SEEING THEM. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME IN THE PAST AND I FILED A REPORT ON IT; BUT GOT NO REPLY. HOPEFULLY; I'LL HEAR BACK ON THIS REPORT. I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT ATTN TO DETAILS LIKE THIS HAPPEN DAILY GIVEN OUR CURRENT STATE. JUST AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN; AND BY THE WAY I WOULDN'T KNOW WHERE TO LOOK FOR A POTENTIAL PROB HAD THERE BEEN AN ACCIDENT OR EMER OR KNOW WHERE TO CORRECTLY TELL RESPONDERS ALL OF MY HAZMAT WAS. NEXT; JUST AS WE CALLED ON THE HEADSET FOR OUR PUSH; WE GOT A FORWARD CARGO DOOR INDICATION ON THE DOORS PAGE. THE RAMP SAID ALL DOORS WERE CLOSED SO THAT WAS ABNORMAL. I ASKED THE RAMP PERSON TO CYCLE THE FORWARD CARGO DOOR HANDLE WHICH HE DID WITH THE SAME RESULT. THE RAMP PERSON THEN SAID THAT THE DOOR HANDLE LOOKED AND FELT FUNNY TO HIM WHEN WE SAID THE DOOR SHOWED OPEN. WE THEN CALLED MAINT AND WROTE UP THE DOOR. THE MECH CAME AND HE SAID THAT HE CLEANED THE CONTACTS; HE THEN OPERATED THE DOOR SEVERAL TIMES. WE HAD THE SAME DOOR OPEN INDICATION COME ON ABOUT 5 SECONDS AFTER HE CLOSED THE CARGO DOOR FOR THE FINAL TIME. THE MECH STATED THAT THE HANDLE HAD SOME 'SLOP' IN IT BUT HE COULD DEFER THE INDICATION OR IF I WANTED HE COULD GET SOMEONE TO LOOK AT THE HANDLE. THIS CONVERSATION HAPPENED VIA THE GND INTERCONNECT. I OPTED TO HAVE A MECH CHK THE HANDLE. WE WATCHED THE CARGO DOOR CYCLE SEVERAL TIMES AND NEVER OBSERVED ANYONE ATTEMPTING TO ACCESS THE AVIONICS COMPARTMENT. AFTER 15 MINS; THE DOOR WAS CLOSED WITH NO INDICATION ON THE DOORS PAGE. I ASKED TO HAVE THE RAMP PERSON WHO ORIGINALLY TOLD US OF THE PROB OPERATE THE DOOR SO I COULD ASK HIM IF IT FELT OR LOOKED DIFFERENT TO HIM. I DID THIS FOR A FEW REASONS. FIRST HE OPERATES THE DOOR ALL DAY AND KNOWS WHEN THINGS DON'T FEEL OR LOOK RIGHT AND HE WAS THE PERSON WHO ORIGINALLY HAD EXPRESSED CONCERN TO ME ABOUT THE HANDLE AFTER HE WAS UNABLE TO SECURE THE DOOR. NEXT; THE FIRST OPTION FOR OUR MECHS IS DEFER AND GO (AS I LEARNED IN FLT BY READING THE FULL MEL; A MECH WOULD NEED TO GO INTO THE AVIONICS BAY TO DETERMINE THE LGCIU STANDARD BEFORE THE APPROPRIATE DEFERRAL COULD BE DONE. NO ONE TO MY KNOWLEDGE EVER ENTERED THE AVIONICS BAY). APPARENTLY; THE MECHS HAVE FORGOTTEN WHAT HAPPENSTO AIRPLANES WHEN THE CARGO DOOR OPENS IN FLT AND SINCE IT IS NOT THEIR REAR ENDS ON THE FLT THEY HAVE NOTHING TO LOSE RIGHT! THERE SEEMS TO BE NOTHING BUT PRESSURE TO GO WITH LITTLE EMPHASIS ON SAFETY OR FIXING THE PROB WHICH BRINGS ME TO THE MOST IMPORTANT REASON FOR HAVING THE RAMP PERSON OPERATE THE DOOR AGAIN. I HAD A LEAD MECH GET ON THE HEADSET TO TELL ME THAT THE DOOR SHOWED CLOSED BELOW AND THAT WE COULD JUST GO LIKE THAT WITH A DEFERRAL. I TOLD HIM THAT I HAD CONCERNS ABOUT THE SLOP IN THE DOOR HANDLE THAT THE PREVIOUS MECH AND RAMP PERSON BOTH TOLD ME EXISTED. I WAS TOLD IN NO UNCERTAIN TERMS THAT HIS MECH NEVER SAID THAT AND ONLY THE RAMP PERSON MENTIONED ANY SLOP. I'D LIKE TO KNOW HOW HE KNEW THAT SINCE HE WAS NOT PRESENT FOR THOSE CONVERSATIONS. CLRLY THERE WAS SOME PRESSURE BEING APPLIED TO SOMEONE BELOW AND THAT WAS WHY I ALSO WANTED AN UNAFFILIATED THIRD PARTY INVOLVED. THE LEAD MECH THEN THREW A FIT AND SAID 'WELL IF YOU WANT THE RAMP TO OPERATE THE HANDLE; YOU DON'T NEED US.' THE LEAD THEN TOOK OFF THE HEADSET WALKED AWAY AND LOOKED UP AT THE COCKPIT AND MADE A GESTURE WITH HIS HAND THAT COULD ONLY BE TAKEN AS GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE! NO MECH EVER SPOKE TO US AGAIN ON THE SUBJECT. THE MECHS ALL WALKED AWAY AND WE HAD TO CALL OPS TO DETERMINE IF THEY WERE GOING TO DEFER US OR CANCEL US. A FEW MINS LATER WE GOT THE DEFERRAL. I ALSO PRINTED THE FULL MEL TO CHK FOR DISPATCHER YES OR NO SINCE I WAS RECENTLY BURNED BY A LATE DEFERRAL THAT WAS A DISPATCH ITEM BUT WAS NOT IDENTED AS SUCH WHEN THE RELEASE ARRIVED. I WOULD READ THE FULL RELEASE IN FLT FOR REF WHICH STATED A MECH NEEDED TO ENTER THE AVIONICS COMPARTMENT TO CHK THE LGCIU STATUS WHICH TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE NEVER OCCURRED. AS A RESULT I AM SUBMITTING THIS REPORT. ENRTE I SENT MAINT AN ACARS TO SEE IF THERE WAS ANY WAY TO DETERMINE LGCIU STATUS WITHOUT GOING INTO THE AVIONICS COMPARTMENT? THE REPLY WAS NO THERE WAS NOT. I THEN SENT MAINT ANOTHER ACARS ASKING THEM TO ADVISE THE MECHS AT MAINT CTL THAT I WAS SUBMITTING A REPORT FOR THE REASON STATED ABOVE. THE REPLY WAS OK. I THEN SENT AN ACARS TO DISPATCH ADVISING THEM I WAS SUBMITTING A REPORT FOR THE FLT AND THEY ACKNOWLEDGED. THEN I WROTE UP AN ENGINEERING NOTE TO VERIFY THE LGCIU LOGIC SO THAT THE ACFT WOULD HAVE ONLY FLOWN 1 LEG WITH THE WRONG DEFERRAL IF IN FACT IT WAS WRONG. I SAY IT THAT WAY BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT I WASN'T DOWN BELOW TO SEE WHAT WENT ON; I WAS ONLY IN THE COCKPIT WITH MY INDICATIONS AND LIMITED VIEW (TRYING TO GET THE JETWAY BACK SO YOU CAN OPEN THE DOOR TO ASSESS THE SPEAKER FACE TO FACE TAKES AN ACT OF GOD HERE) I CAN ONLY RPT WHAT I BELIEVE TO BE THE CASE. WHO KNOWS; MAYBE WITH ALL THOSE CAMERAS WE HAVE WATCHING US THERE IS A VIDEO OF A MECH ENTERING THE AVIONICS BAY OR NOT. SO WE LEFT UNDER LESS THAN IDEAL CONDITIONS. PLTS BLOOD PRESSURE UP; MECHS BLOOD PRESSURE UP; FLT ATTENDANTS LATER EXPRESSED THEY WERE CONCERNED; PAX WORRIED; SOME ABOUT THE AIRPLANE; SOME ABOUT BEING LATE. FORTUNATELY; THE FLT WAS OPERATED SAFELY AND CLOSE TO ON TIME; BUT THIS SITUATION IS OCCURRING MORE AND MORE EVERY DAY. I HAVEN'T EVEN TOUCHED ON THE FACT THAT JUST ABOUT EVERY FO I FLY WITH IS GETTING FURLOUGHED FOR THE SECOND TIME HERE. THEY DON'T CARE IF THIS PLACE BURNS DOWN FOR THE MOST PART. TRY TO GET THEM TO DO ANYTHING THAT REQUIRES EXTRA EFFORT IS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE. AGAIN LET ME STATE THAT THIS AIRLINE IS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. IF IT DOES IT WILL BE THE END OF THIS AIRLINE; SOMETHING NONE OF US WHO STILL THINKS THEY HAVE A JOB WANTS TO HAPPEN!

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.