An MD80 captain believes his latest encounter with maintenance malfeasance--an undiagnosed pressuriz...

Attributes
ACN	887477
Time
Date	201005
Local Time Of Day	0601-1200
Place
Locale Reference	ZZZ.ARTCC
State Reference	US
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	Climb
Flight Plan	IFR
Component
Aircraft Component	Pressurization Control System
Person 1
Function	Captain Pilot Flying
Qualification	Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP) Flight Crew Multiengine Flight Crew Instrument Flight Crew Flight Instructor Flight Crew Flight Engineer
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 100 Flight Crew Total 20000 Flight Crew Type 3500
Events
Anomaly	Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical Deviation - Procedural Maintenance

Narrative:

At the gate I reviewed the logbook and found 2 repeat write ups; both identical. During climb pressurization flow light on. Cabin climbing outflow valve closed. During climb we experienced the same thing; the condition lasted about 30 seconds while the cabin climbed and then the light went out and the cabin went into a descent. When the cabin got back on schedule it climbed properly. We continued flight while discussing whether to continue or head back to our departure station. I called maintenance control and the gentleman I spoke with thought it would be ok to continue. We decided not to fly for 3 hours at altitude with a questionable pressurization system. The maintenance response for the 2 prior write ups was '...could not duplicate; ok for service'. Our airline is continuously placing aircraft in service without the proper troubleshooting for [proper] diagnosis. Our maintenance controllers have been trying to diagnose over the phone like a computer technician does. Two other instances prior to this example; were barely addressed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: An MD80 Captain believes his latest encounter with maintenance malfeasance--an undiagnosed pressurization problem--is symptomatic of a purposeful attempt to operate aircraft despite limited or failed maintenance diagnosis of repeated write ups.

Narrative: At the gate I reviewed the logbook and found 2 repeat write ups; both identical. During climb pressurization flow light on. Cabin climbing outflow valve closed. During climb we experienced the same thing; the condition lasted about 30 seconds while the cabin climbed and then the light went out and the cabin went into a descent. When the cabin got back on schedule it climbed properly. We continued flight while discussing whether to continue or head back to our departure station. I called Maintenance Control and the gentleman I spoke with thought it would be OK to continue. We decided not to fly for 3 hours at altitude with a questionable pressurization system. The maintenance response for the 2 prior write ups was '...could not duplicate; OK for service'. Our airline is continuously placing aircraft in service without the proper troubleshooting for [proper] diagnosis. Our Maintenance Controllers have been trying to diagnose over the phone like a computer technician does. Two other instances prior to this example; were barely addressed.

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.

An MD80 captain believes his latest encounter with maintenance malfeasance--an undiagnosed pressurization problem--is symptomatic of a purposeful attempt to operate aircraft despite limited or failed maintenance diagnosis of repeated write ups.