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Light transport has air conditioning deferral when temperatures over 94 degrees. Aircraft returns to gate due fuel burn, flight crew heat fatigued.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 246059 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199307 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : rdu |
| State Reference | NC |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0 |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : dca |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Light Transport, High Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng |
| Flight Phase | ground : holding ground other : taxi |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | other personnel |
| Qualification | other other : other |
| ASRS Report | 246059 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa other other : unspecified |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted none taken : unable |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
Although permitted by FAA to defer an item on an aircraft, prudent judgement should be observed. Point is light transport with no air conditioning available in the forward section, allows excessive heat buildup inside the aircraft. Ambient air temperatures in rdu were 92 with an often high of 94. Heat indicia in excess of 100. Flcs being intimidated into flight conditions marginally acceptable. Prolonged exposure to these high temperatures are unsafe for the passenger and especially for the crews flying. Adding to the problem during taxi out, thundershower developed over field slowing departures. Flight fuel release was reached and aircraft had to return to the gate. Ramp closed for local lightning. Flight crew called fatigued upon returning to gate. I see this as a safety issue being skirted by saying the item (air conditioning freon) can be deferred, therefore the crews should fly.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: LTT HAS AIR CONDITIONING DEFERRAL WHEN TEMPS OVER 94 DEGS. ACFT RETURNS TO GATE DUE FUEL BURN, FLC HEAT FATIGUED.
Narrative: ALTHOUGH PERMITTED BY FAA TO DEFER AN ITEM ON AN ACFT, PRUDENT JUDGEMENT SHOULD BE OBSERVED. POINT IS LTT WITH NO AIR CONDITIONING AVAILABLE IN THE FORWARD SECTION, ALLOWS EXCESSIVE HEAT BUILDUP INSIDE THE ACFT. AMBIENT AIR TEMPS IN RDU WERE 92 WITH AN OFTEN HIGH OF 94. HEAT INDICIA IN EXCESS OF 100. FLCS BEING INTIMIDATED INTO FLT CONDITIONS MARGINALLY ACCEPTABLE. PROLONGED EXPOSURE TO THESE HIGH TEMPS ARE UNSAFE FOR THE PAX AND ESPECIALLY FOR THE CREWS FLYING. ADDING TO THE PROB DURING TAXI OUT, THUNDERSHOWER DEVELOPED OVER FIELD SLOWING DEPS. FLT FUEL RELEASE WAS REACHED AND ACFT HAD TO RETURN TO THE GATE. RAMP CLOSED FOR LCL LIGHTNING. FLC CALLED FATIGUED UPON RETURNING TO GATE. I SEE THIS AS A SAFETY ISSUE BEING SKIRTED BY SAYING THE ITEM (AIR CONDITIONING FREON) CAN BE DEFERRED, THEREFORE THE CREWS SHOULD FLY.
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.