Narrative:

1 takeoff abandoned for automatic coarsen light failure at dfw system subsequently deferred per MEL. No restrictions found in aircraft documents to limit takeoff performance. Aircraft performed 5 takeoffs before crew made aware of severe performance limitations with automatic coarsen inoperative. (After landing at dfw, tx). I do not consider that the company has adequately trained in the use of performance charts, especially those dealing with non standard configns. Accordingly, I am requesting immediate further ground training for myself and operations wide (pilots and dispatchers and maintenance) emphasis on the likely severity of aircraft performance limitation with certain systems inoperative. This to prevent the possibility of repetition not just by myself but by any other crew. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information. The automatic coarsen system is an automatic feather system and when inoperative it carries a large gross weight penalty. Captain said that within hours of the error being discovered all aircraft were supplied with adequate documentation. The problem came to light at a morning operation review that is monitored by the FAA. The captain and the first officer were given additional training directed at better understanding of aircraft performance and the determination of gross weight limits. The entire incident is viewed in a positive light as a good learning experience.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER LTT CONTINUED TO OPERATE WITHOUT COMPLYING WITH MEL REQUIREMENT. THE AUTO COARSEN SYS WAS INOP.

Narrative: 1 TKOF ABANDONED FOR AUTO COARSEN LIGHT FAILURE AT DFW SYS SUBSEQUENTLY DEFERRED PER MEL. NO RESTRICTIONS FOUND IN ACFT DOCUMENTS TO LIMIT TKOF PERFORMANCE. ACFT PERFORMED 5 TKOFS BEFORE CREW MADE AWARE OF SEVERE PERFORMANCE LIMITATIONS WITH AUTO COARSEN INOPERATIVE. (AFTER LNDG AT DFW, TX). I DO NOT CONSIDER THAT THE COMPANY HAS ADEQUATELY TRAINED IN THE USE OF PERFORMANCE CHARTS, ESPECIALLY THOSE DEALING WITH NON STANDARD CONFIGNS. ACCORDINGLY, I AM REQUESTING IMMEDIATE FURTHER GND TRAINING FOR MYSELF AND OPS WIDE (PLTS AND DISPATCHERS AND MAINT) EMPHASIS ON THE LIKELY SEVERITY OF ACFT PERFORMANCE LIMITATION WITH CERTAIN SYSTEMS INOPERATIVE. THIS TO PREVENT THE POSSIBILITY OF REPETITION NOT JUST BY MYSELF BUT BY ANY OTHER CREW. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO. THE AUTO COARSEN SYS IS AN AUTO FEATHER SYS AND WHEN INOP IT CARRIES A LARGE GROSS WT PENALTY. CAPT SAID THAT WITHIN HOURS OF THE ERROR BEING DISCOVERED ALL ACFT WERE SUPPLIED WITH ADEQUATE DOCUMENTATION. THE PROBLEM CAME TO LIGHT AT A MORNING OP REVIEW THAT IS MONITORED BY THE FAA. THE CAPT AND THE FO WERE GIVEN ADDITIONAL TRAINING DIRECTED AT BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF ACFT PERFORMANCE AND THE DETERMINATION OF GROSS WT LIMITS. THE ENTIRE INCIDENT IS VIEWED IN A POSITIVE LIGHT AS A GOOD LEARNING EXPERIENCE.

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