Narrative:

Air carrier flight arrived at sfo airport to gate X on flight aug/wed/92, ETA PM45 and departed same flight at PM36. The crew acar'ed in a log gripe on #2 engine for the oil pressure gauge on the forward panel oscillating +/-5 psi at about 40 psi for 2-3 mins, after engine start, then returning to normal and working ok. I checked the jet runup handbook 2-9-63 page 1 which stated the normal operating pressure is between 40-55 psi. I also checked the maintenance manual which also showed limits of 40-55 psi. No mention was made for fluctuation. My mechanic, through my instructions signed off the log gripe. Afterwards an FAA inspector, name unknown, asked for my presence. When I came on board he asked me why I was not fixing the problem on the aircraft. I told him per our jet runup handbook that the operation was normal. I then called our line maintenance control and turbine specialist to ask their advice. They also agreed 40-55 psi was normal. They (the turbine specialist) told me after we started engines for departure if problem still existed I should check the engine oil filter. When I hung up the telephone, the was off the gate with engines running. No calls to maintenance were made. I then was notified by a mechanic that the flight crew on taxi out sent a new log write-up with the same problem. I once again called line maintenance controller who in turn arinc'ed the aircraft to inquire about engine. The crew reported the same problem as before, but after 2-3 mins the pressure was normal. I honestly believed the indications for pressure was completely normal and I made every attempt to use all resources at hand for additional information. At this time, I do not know what will resolve the engine problem, or if additional action is needed. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated that she had monitored this aircraft engine since making this report and noticed no further problem or 'write-ups' by flcs. She further stated that she thought that the FAA inspector was challenging the disposition of the 'gripe' but that she was confident that there was nothing wrong with the oil pressure indication.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MAINT SUPVR OF ACR MLG ACFT IS CHALLENGED REGARDING THE DISPOSITION OF AN ACFT DISCREPANCY 'WRITE-UP.'

Narrative: ACR FLT ARRIVED AT SFO ARPT TO GATE X ON FLT AUG/WED/92, ETA PM45 AND DEPARTED SAME FLT AT PM36. THE CREW ACAR'ED IN A LOG GRIPE ON #2 ENG FOR THE OIL PRESSURE GAUGE ON THE FORWARD PANEL OSCILLATING +/-5 PSI AT ABOUT 40 PSI FOR 2-3 MINS, AFTER ENG START, THEN RETURNING TO NORMAL AND WORKING OK. I CHKED THE JET RUNUP HANDBOOK 2-9-63 PAGE 1 WHICH STATED THE NORMAL OPERATING PRESSURE IS BTWN 40-55 PSI. I ALSO CHKED THE MAINT MANUAL WHICH ALSO SHOWED LIMITS OF 40-55 PSI. NO MENTION WAS MADE FOR FLUCTUATION. MY MECH, THROUGH MY INSTRUCTIONS SIGNED OFF THE LOG GRIPE. AFTERWARDS AN FAA INSPECTOR, NAME UNKNOWN, ASKED FOR MY PRESENCE. WHEN I CAME ON BOARD HE ASKED ME WHY I WAS NOT FIXING THE PROBLEM ON THE ACFT. I TOLD HIM PER OUR JET RUNUP HANDBOOK THAT THE OP WAS NORMAL. I THEN CALLED OUR LINE MAINT CTL AND TURBINE SPECIALIST TO ASK THEIR ADVICE. THEY ALSO AGREED 40-55 PSI WAS NORMAL. THEY (THE TURBINE SPECIALIST) TOLD ME AFTER WE STARTED ENGS FOR DEP IF PROBLEM STILL EXISTED I SHOULD CHK THE ENG OIL FILTER. WHEN I HUNG UP THE TELEPHONE, THE WAS OFF THE GATE WITH ENGS RUNNING. NO CALLS TO MAINT WERE MADE. I THEN WAS NOTIFIED BY A MECH THAT THE FLC ON TAXI OUT SENT A NEW LOG WRITE-UP WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. I ONCE AGAIN CALLED LINE MAINT CTLR WHO IN TURN ARINC'ED THE ACFT TO INQUIRE ABOUT ENG. THE CREW RPTED THE SAME PROBLEM AS BEFORE, BUT AFTER 2-3 MINS THE PRESSURE WAS NORMAL. I HONESTLY BELIEVED THE INDICATIONS FOR PRESSURE WAS COMPLETELY NORMAL AND I MADE EVERY ATTEMPT TO USE ALL RESOURCES AT HAND FOR ADDITIONAL INFO. AT THIS TIME, I DO NOT KNOW WHAT WILL RESOLVE THE ENG PROBLEM, OR IF ADDITIONAL ACTION IS NEEDED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THAT SHE HAD MONITORED THIS ACFT ENG SINCE MAKING THIS RPT AND NOTICED NO FURTHER PROBLEM OR 'WRITE-UPS' BY FLCS. SHE FURTHER STATED THAT SHE THOUGHT THAT THE FAA INSPECTOR WAS CHALLENGING THE DISPOSITION OF THE 'GRIPE' BUT THAT SHE WAS CONFIDENT THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE OIL PRESSURE INDICATION.

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.