Narrative:

Aircraft had fuel dump system inoperative. One of two dump nozzles was inoperative. Aircraft was dispatched over landing maximum weight. If any of several types of emergency occurred an overweight landing would have resulted. No problem did occur. I questioned dispatch concerning the legality of the situation and was told it was ok. They quoted page numbers and said that overweight landing in an emergency was acceptable and therefore I was legal to go. They were wrong for telling me that and I was wrong for accepting the flight. After the fact research has changed my opinion on the legality of the dispatch. Although overweight lndgs are acceptable in certain emergencys, there must be a choice of whether or not to dump fuel therefore fuel dump system must be operational prior to dispatch of over landing weight aircraft. Contributing factors to this wrong decision: so called labor management problems which inhibit my courage in argument with dispatch unless I'm absolutely sure that I'm right. I was returning from 6 months on another aircraft type and therefore was not sure if I was up to speed on any changes in operational matters. Min preflight time for conversation with reliable research resources. We were off one airplane and right on this aircraft fully loaded and ready to go. On time pressure. No negative opinion from rest of crew. Dumping was in fact available but at 1/2 rate which although descent satisfy the legality does bolster confidence in degree of safety. Correction: when in doubt don't do, regardless of labor management atmosphere. Take the time to research any question relative to the flight. Demand teletype evidence of dispatch opinions or company orders. Stay knowledgeable, assertive, and responsible.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: REPORTER STATES DISPATCH WAS NOT LEGAL BECAUSE ONE FUEL DUMP NOZZLE WAS INOPERATIVE.

Narrative: ACFT HAD FUEL DUMP SYS INOP. ONE OF TWO DUMP NOZZLES WAS INOP. ACFT WAS DISPATCHED OVER LNDG MAX WEIGHT. IF ANY OF SEVERAL TYPES OF EMER OCCURRED AN OVERWEIGHT LNDG WOULD HAVE RESULTED. NO PROB DID OCCUR. I QUESTIONED DISPATCH CONCERNING THE LEGALITY OF THE SITUATION AND WAS TOLD IT WAS OK. THEY QUOTED PAGE NUMBERS AND SAID THAT OVERWEIGHT LNDG IN AN EMER WAS ACCEPTABLE AND THEREFORE I WAS LEGAL TO GO. THEY WERE WRONG FOR TELLING ME THAT AND I WAS WRONG FOR ACCEPTING THE FLT. AFTER THE FACT RESEARCH HAS CHANGED MY OPINION ON THE LEGALITY OF THE DISPATCH. ALTHOUGH OVERWEIGHT LNDGS ARE ACCEPTABLE IN CERTAIN EMERS, THERE MUST BE A CHOICE OF WHETHER OR NOT TO DUMP FUEL THEREFORE FUEL DUMP SYS MUST BE OPERATIONAL PRIOR TO DISPATCH OF OVER LNDG WEIGHT ACFT. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO THIS WRONG DECISION: SO CALLED LABOR MGMNT PROBS WHICH INHIBIT MY COURAGE IN ARGUMENT WITH DISPATCH UNLESS I'M ABSOLUTELY SURE THAT I'M RIGHT. I WAS RETURNING FROM 6 MONTHS ON ANOTHER ACFT TYPE AND THEREFORE WAS NOT SURE IF I WAS UP TO SPD ON ANY CHANGES IN OPERATIONAL MATTERS. MIN PREFLT TIME FOR CONVERSATION WITH RELIABLE RESEARCH RESOURCES. WE WERE OFF ONE AIRPLANE AND RIGHT ON THIS ACFT FULLY LOADED AND READY TO GO. ON TIME PRESSURE. NO NEGATIVE OPINION FROM REST OF CREW. DUMPING WAS IN FACT AVAILABLE BUT AT 1/2 RATE WHICH ALTHOUGH DSCNT SATISFY THE LEGALITY DOES BOLSTER CONFIDENCE IN DEG OF SAFETY. CORRECTION: WHEN IN DOUBT DON'T DO, REGARDLESS OF LABOR MGMNT ATMOSPHERE. TAKE THE TIME TO RESEARCH ANY QUESTION RELATIVE TO THE FLT. DEMAND TELETYPE EVIDENCE OF DISPATCH OPINIONS OR COMPANY ORDERS. STAY KNOWLEDGEABLE, ASSERTIVE, AND RESPONSIBLE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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.