Narrative:

The captain pitot heat ammeter was deferred due to low power indication. The deferral (MEL item) required an inspection prior to each flight. The captain pitot heat was inspected by maintenance at the originating airport (phl) and found to be operating. The amp indication on the deferred meter was normal also. The captain pitot heat inspection at the en route stop (dtw) was overlooked and did not occur. I do not know why the inspection was missed by maintenance, but some of the factors that may have led to the inspection being overlooked by the flight crew are: 1) the ammeter was operating normally. 2) the deferred sticker on the ammeter was a normal white sticker. An item requiring a repetitive inspection is supposed to have an orange sticker to call everyone's attention to the repetitive inspection. 3) the flight landed at dtw with a real mechanical problem. There was a pneumatic overpressure indication on the #3 engine. This was written up by the flight crew and deferred by maintenance at dtw. The process took about 45 mins and required a phone call to the dispatcher to determine if it was legal to continue to lan due to possible icing conditions. The repetitive inspection was missed. In my opinion, the safety of the flight was not affected because the ammeter and pitot heat were working normally and icing conditions did not exist. Supplemental information from acn 352629: fatigue: this was our third flight of the night which had started at AB00 pm. It was now AK00 am. We had departed phl late and dtw ground personnel were eager to block us out. I believe the FAA should shorten considerably the allowable duty times during the night due to circadian rhythm induced fatigue.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NIGHT OP ACR FREIGHTER FLC FAILS TO HAVE THE CAPT'S PITOT HEATER CHKED PRIOR TO DEP AS PER THE PROVISIONS OF THE MEL REQUIREMENTS ON DEP FROM THEIR SECOND ARPT. FLC DISTR ACFT EQUIP PROB.

Narrative: THE CAPT PITOT HEAT AMMETER WAS DEFERRED DUE TO LOW PWR INDICATION. THE DEFERRAL (MEL ITEM) REQUIRED AN INSPECTION PRIOR TO EACH FLT. THE CAPT PITOT HEAT WAS INSPECTED BY MAINT AT THE ORIGINATING ARPT (PHL) AND FOUND TO BE OPERATING. THE AMP INDICATION ON THE DEFERRED METER WAS NORMAL ALSO. THE CAPT PITOT HEAT INSPECTION AT THE ENRTE STOP (DTW) WAS OVERLOOKED AND DID NOT OCCUR. I DO NOT KNOW WHY THE INSPECTION WAS MISSED BY MAINT, BUT SOME OF THE FACTORS THAT MAY HAVE LED TO THE INSPECTION BEING OVERLOOKED BY THE FLC ARE: 1) THE AMMETER WAS OPERATING NORMALLY. 2) THE DEFERRED STICKER ON THE AMMETER WAS A NORMAL WHITE STICKER. AN ITEM REQUIRING A REPETITIVE INSPECTION IS SUPPOSED TO HAVE AN ORANGE STICKER TO CALL EVERYONE'S ATTN TO THE REPETITIVE INSPECTION. 3) THE FLT LANDED AT DTW WITH A REAL MECHANICAL PROB. THERE WAS A PNEUMATIC OVERPRESSURE INDICATION ON THE #3 ENG. THIS WAS WRITTEN UP BY THE FLC AND DEFERRED BY MAINT AT DTW. THE PROCESS TOOK ABOUT 45 MINS AND REQUIRED A PHONE CALL TO THE DISPATCHER TO DETERMINE IF IT WAS LEGAL TO CONTINUE TO LAN DUE TO POSSIBLE ICING CONDITIONS. THE REPETITIVE INSPECTION WAS MISSED. IN MY OPINION, THE SAFETY OF THE FLT WAS NOT AFFECTED BECAUSE THE AMMETER AND PITOT HEAT WERE WORKING NORMALLY AND ICING CONDITIONS DID NOT EXIST. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 352629: FATIGUE: THIS WAS OUR THIRD FLT OF THE NIGHT WHICH HAD STARTED AT AB00 PM. IT WAS NOW AK00 AM. WE HAD DEPARTED PHL LATE AND DTW GND PERSONNEL WERE EAGER TO BLOCK US OUT. I BELIEVE THE FAA SHOULD SHORTEN CONSIDERABLY THE ALLOWABLE DUTY TIMES DURING THE NIGHT DUE TO CIRCADIAN RHYTHM INDUCED FATIGUE.

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.