Narrative:

Our flight crew was being line checked by an FAA inspector. During his preflight inspection of aircraft he discovered a problem with the right side of the inner-most trailing edge of the horizontal stabilizer. He and the captain; were lifted in the bucket of a de-ice truck to the get a closer look. They discovered a crack/tear across the top of the surface. A write-up was made and the inspector left us with instructions to not allow maintenance to speed tape the part and ferry it; stating that it would be unsafe to do so. The captain contacted maintenance who instructed a write up that sounded like there was debris found in the tail section of the aircraft; which I thought a peculiar way of describing damage to the structure; and they then sent out contract maintenance. When the first contract maintenance mechanic refused to speed tape it and get a ferry permit; as company maintenance requested; they contacted a second contract maintenance mechanic who also refused to speed tape it and get a ferry permit no other solutions were discussed that I am aware of. Company maintenance then flew in a company mechanic. This company mechanic; after considerable time discussing the situation with the crew and his supervisor decided it would be safe to speed tape and ferry the aircraft. The company mechanic obtained a ferry permit and filled out the logbook. After discussion with the captain and the company mechanic I still did not believe the aircraft would be safe to ferry; having been speed taped. My reasons were that both the FAA inspector and two contract maintenance mechanics determined that speed taping the surface for ferry would not make the aircraft airworthy; and it is their authority/responsibility to determine this. I do not have this authority and I must rely on those who do to determine whether the aircraft is safe and airworthy. For me to say that speed taping for the purposes of ferry; in this case; would be safe would mean saying that the FAA inspector as well as two contract mechanics are wrong when it is their realm of authority to determine this and not mine. I spoke to the company maintenance supervisor who tried to persuade me that the aircraft was airworthy. I trust his opinion as I trust the mechanic he sent; but it only takes one person with either the mechanic's or the FAA's authority to tell me that a certain operation is unsafe for me to believe that it is. When the maintenance supervisor and I agreed we were not going to agree on speed taping for the purposes of a ferry flight I was connected on the phone to a company supervisor. He asked for the short story and what I would need to change my mind. I gave him a brief on the situation and said I would need; at a minimum; the approval of the FAA inspector; who we had been unable to contact. No other maintenance options were accepted and the decision of the FAA inspector was not reversed when we as a crew timed out. If a superior method of repair were considered or had the FAA inspector been contacted and had changed his mind; my reasons for believing the ferry flight would be unsafe would be relieved and my decision changed.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: An FAA Inspector advises a DHC8 flight crew they are not to depart with a damaged horizontal stabilizer discovered on preflight even if the affected area is speed taped. When the company shops the item until a mechanic is found who will accept such a repair for a ferry flight; the First Officer refuses to fly the aircraft based on the prior assessments of the FAA Inspector and two contract mechanics who agreed the aircraft to be un-airworthy.

Narrative: Our flight crew was being line checked by an FAA Inspector. During his preflight inspection of aircraft he discovered a problem with the right side of the inner-most trailing edge of the horizontal stabilizer. He and the Captain; were lifted in the bucket of a de-ice truck to the get a closer look. They discovered a crack/tear across the top of the surface. A write-up was made and the inspector left us with instructions to not allow maintenance to speed tape the part and ferry it; stating that it would be unsafe to do so. The Captain contacted maintenance who instructed a write up that sounded like there was debris found in the tail section of the aircraft; which I thought a peculiar way of describing damage to the structure; and they then sent out contract maintenance. When the first contract maintenance mechanic refused to speed tape it and get a ferry permit; as company maintenance requested; they contacted a second contract maintenance mechanic who also refused to speed tape it and get a ferry permit No other solutions were discussed that I am aware of. Company maintenance then flew in a company mechanic. This company mechanic; after considerable time discussing the situation with the crew and his supervisor decided it would be safe to speed tape and ferry the aircraft. The company mechanic obtained a ferry permit and filled out the logbook. After discussion with the Captain and the company mechanic I still did not believe the aircraft would be safe to ferry; having been speed taped. My reasons were that both the FAA Inspector and two contract maintenance mechanics determined that speed taping the surface for ferry would not make the aircraft airworthy; and it is their authority/responsibility to determine this. I do not have this authority and I must rely on those who do to determine whether the aircraft is safe and airworthy. For me to say that speed taping for the purposes of ferry; in this case; would be safe would mean saying that the FAA Inspector as well as two contract mechanics are wrong when it is their realm of authority to determine this and not mine. I spoke to the company maintenance supervisor who tried to persuade me that the aircraft was airworthy. I trust his opinion as I trust the mechanic he sent; but it only takes one person with either the mechanic's or the FAA's authority to tell me that a certain operation is unsafe for me to believe that it is. When the maintenance supervisor and I agreed we were not going to agree on speed taping for the purposes of a ferry flight I was connected on the phone to a company supervisor. He asked for the short story and what I would need to change my mind. I gave him a brief on the situation and said I would need; at a minimum; the approval of the FAA Inspector; who we had been unable to contact. No other maintenance options were accepted and the decision of the FAA Inspector was not reversed when we as a crew timed out. If a superior method of repair were considered or had the FAA Inspector been contacted and had changed his mind; my reasons for believing the ferry flight would be unsafe would be relieved and my decision changed.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.