Narrative:

Location: msy airport. Aircraft had numerous write-ups for popped circuit breakers and generator phase imbalances in the last 30 days. It arrived in msy with another phase imbal and a popped left pack cooling fan. The previous signoffs had many different fixes for the same basic problem. The write-off that we were faced with this morning was generator #3 constant speed drive disconnected, generator #3 inoperative. On checking the MEL, we found that it was necessary to check the log for any problems with the remaining generators. On doing this, we found 4 write-ups and an airplane that had been OTS for 1 week of that time. On further inspection, we found 11 items in the last 30 days. We were uncomfortable taking an airplane with a history of electrical problems on 2 generators. After talking to headquarters maintenance, we found that a problem with the left pack fan had been found. The headquarters mechanic thought that it could be creating the problem. He directed the msy mechanic to reinstate the #3 generator and placard the left pack cooling fan. I took the airplane believing that this was probably just a way to get the aircraft out of msy. I believe that the aircraft history was ignored when the generator was placarded. I am thankful that the headquarters mechanic was responsive to my problem. He indicated that this aircraft has had a history of electric problems that goes way back beyond the 30 days that show up in the logbook.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR B727 CAPT RPTS THAT HIS ACFT SEEMS TO HAVE FINALLY GOTTEN THE SPECIAL ATTN THAT IT NEEDED IN AN ATTEMPT TO CORRECT SEVERAL ACFT EQUIP PROBS L PACK COOLING FAN PLACARDED INOP, #3 GENERATOR REINSTATED.

Narrative: LOCATION: MSY ARPT. ACFT HAD NUMEROUS WRITE-UPS FOR POPPED CIRCUIT BREAKERS AND GENERATOR PHASE IMBALANCES IN THE LAST 30 DAYS. IT ARRIVED IN MSY WITH ANOTHER PHASE IMBAL AND A POPPED L PACK COOLING FAN. THE PREVIOUS SIGNOFFS HAD MANY DIFFERENT FIXES FOR THE SAME BASIC PROB. THE WRITE-OFF THAT WE WERE FACED WITH THIS MORNING WAS GENERATOR #3 CONSTANT SPD DRIVE DISCONNECTED, GENERATOR #3 INOP. ON CHKING THE MEL, WE FOUND THAT IT WAS NECESSARY TO CHK THE LOG FOR ANY PROBS WITH THE REMAINING GENERATORS. ON DOING THIS, WE FOUND 4 WRITE-UPS AND AN AIRPLANE THAT HAD BEEN OTS FOR 1 WK OF THAT TIME. ON FURTHER INSPECTION, WE FOUND 11 ITEMS IN THE LAST 30 DAYS. WE WERE UNCOMFORTABLE TAKING AN AIRPLANE WITH A HISTORY OF ELECTRICAL PROBS ON 2 GENERATORS. AFTER TALKING TO HEADQUARTERS MAINT, WE FOUND THAT A PROB WITH THE L PACK FAN HAD BEEN FOUND. THE HEADQUARTERS MECH THOUGHT THAT IT COULD BE CREATING THE PROB. HE DIRECTED THE MSY MECH TO REINSTATE THE #3 GENERATOR AND PLACARD THE L PACK COOLING FAN. I TOOK THE AIRPLANE BELIEVING THAT THIS WAS PROBABLY JUST A WAY TO GET THE ACFT OUT OF MSY. I BELIEVE THAT THE ACFT HISTORY WAS IGNORED WHEN THE GENERATOR WAS PLACARDED. I AM THANKFUL THAT THE HEADQUARTERS MECH WAS RESPONSIVE TO MY PROB. HE INDICATED THAT THIS ACFT HAS HAD A HISTORY OF ELECTRIC PROBS THAT GOES WAY BACK BEYOND THE 30 DAYS THAT SHOW UP IN THE LOGBOOK.

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.