Narrative:

Starting well before departure time we became aware that our flight would be significantly delayed due to mechanical discrepancies with the in bound aircraft. Dispatch confirmed that the outbound flight would consist of a planned fuel stop due to MEL item involving the center fuel tank quantity indicating system. Further inquiry revealed multiple MEL items; none of them trivial. On arrival at aircraft; inbound crew confirmed MEL items including aforementioned fuel quantity indicator; hpsov; right thrust reverser; heading; and hydraulic quantity indications. Crew also noted un-anticipated deviations in total fuel quantity indications and difficulty keeping a reliable fuel log. Route to fuel stop was planned at FL290 due to forecast moderate turbulence; and inbound crew confirmed they were unable to find other than moderate turbulence at any altitude. Weather at destination called for low ceilings; with freezing precipitation in the arrival and terminal areas. Given the already-delayed departure time; night operations; turbulence forecast and reported enroute; forecast weather at the final destination; and immediate departure into an ETOPS environment with multiple unrelated but significant MEL items; the crew elected to forgo the strictly legal option of imperiling 234 souls; and chose instead the eminently smarter and safer option of refusing to continue the operation.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B767 flight crew refuses an aircraft for an over water flight due to MEL's for center tank fuel quantity; HDG; HPSOV; and a hydraulic warning light for the left system; resulting in flight cancellation.

Narrative: Starting well before departure time we became aware that our flight would be significantly delayed due to mechanical discrepancies with the in bound aircraft. Dispatch confirmed that the outbound flight would consist of a planned fuel stop due to MEL item involving the Center Fuel Tank Quantity Indicating System. Further inquiry revealed multiple MEL items; none of them trivial. On arrival at aircraft; inbound crew confirmed MEL items including aforementioned fuel quantity indicator; HPSOV; right thrust reverser; HDG; and hydraulic quantity indications. Crew also noted un-anticipated deviations in total fuel quantity indications and difficulty keeping a reliable fuel log. Route to fuel stop was planned at FL290 due to forecast moderate turbulence; and inbound crew confirmed they were unable to find other than moderate turbulence at any altitude. Weather at destination called for low ceilings; with freezing precipitation in the arrival and terminal areas. Given the already-delayed departure time; night operations; turbulence forecast and reported enroute; forecast weather at the final destination; and immediate departure into an ETOPS environment with multiple unrelated but significant MEL items; the crew elected to forgo the strictly LEGAL option of imperiling 234 souls; and chose instead the eminently SMARTER and SAFER option of refusing to continue the operation.

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.