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Widebody transport engine just used 7 quarts of oil but maintenance gave it only a quick cursory inspection and signed it off for service.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 233563 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199302 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : ord |
| State Reference | IL |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0 |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Widebody, Low Wing, 4 Turbojet Eng |
| Navigation In Use | Other |
| Flight Phase | ground : preflight |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | other personnel other |
| Qualification | other other : other |
| ASRS Report | 233563 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far non adherence other |
| Independent Detector | other other : unspecified |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Airport |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
Widebody transport arrived with high oil consumption noted on engine #1. Foreman for the company signed off the write-up after instructing mechanics to complete the checking for excessive oil possibly being located in the main gearbox per MM- data. After noting non excessive oil in gearbox, foreman then instructed mechanics to close up cowlings and concluded that high oil consumption would be attributed to over servicing of oil. The conclusion of over servicing was arrived at without even checking for leaks anywhere else. Bad judgement was used for the convenience of the flight schedule. High oil consumption write-ups on various series wdbs are handled in similar fashion. This particular event was rushed by company foreman due to pressure from upper management to meet schedule needs. Where did 7 quarts of oil go? Incomplete information leads to accidents. 'Pencil whipping' is not a good practice. Instructing mechanics or directing mechanics to perform maintenance in an unsafe manner is not advised. Engines involved in cases are the turbofan. A history of high oil consumption on #1 engine on this aircraft was noted in the computer history and overlooked.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: WDB ENG JUST USED 7 QUARTS OF OIL BUT MAINT GAVE IT ONLY A QUICK CURSORY INSPECTION AND SIGNED IT OFF FOR SVC.
Narrative: WDB ARRIVED WITH HIGH OIL CONSUMPTION NOTED ON ENG #1. FOREMAN FOR THE COMPANY SIGNED OFF THE WRITE-UP AFTER INSTRUCTING MECHS TO COMPLETE THE CHKING FOR EXCESSIVE OIL POSSIBLY BEING LOCATED IN THE MAIN GEARBOX PER MM- DATA. AFTER NOTING NON EXCESSIVE OIL IN GEARBOX, FOREMAN THEN INSTRUCTED MECHS TO CLOSE UP COWLINGS AND CONCLUDED THAT HIGH OIL CONSUMPTION WOULD BE ATTRIBUTED TO OVER SVCING OF OIL. THE CONCLUSION OF OVER SVCING WAS ARRIVED AT WITHOUT EVEN CHKING FOR LEAKS ANYWHERE ELSE. BAD JUDGEMENT WAS USED FOR THE CONVENIENCE OF THE FLT SCHEDULE. HIGH OIL CONSUMPTION WRITE-UPS ON VARIOUS SERIES WDBS ARE HANDLED IN SIMILAR FASHION. THIS PARTICULAR EVENT WAS RUSHED BY COMPANY FOREMAN DUE TO PRESSURE FROM UPPER MGMNT TO MEET SCHEDULE NEEDS. WHERE DID 7 QUARTS OF OIL GO? INCOMPLETE INFO LEADS TO ACCIDENTS. 'PENCIL WHIPPING' IS NOT A GOOD PRACTICE. INSTRUCTING MECHS OR DIRECTING MECHS TO PERFORM MAINT IN AN UNSAFE MANNER IS NOT ADVISED. ENGS INVOLVED IN CASES ARE THE TURBOFAN. A HISTORY OF HIGH OIL CONSUMPTION ON #1 ENG ON THIS ACFT WAS NOTED IN THE COMPUTER HISTORY AND OVERLOOKED.
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.