A B767-200 routed on an extended range operation diverted due to failure of both lavatory flush syst...

Attributes
ACN	374341
Time
Date	199707
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz
State Reference	US
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B767-200
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
ASRS Report	374341
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified cockpit other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Aircraft was flying ETOPS from ZZZ to germany and diverted to ireland due to in-flight shutdown of both lavatory system. Prior to departure, I signed off part of a work card stating that I verified the proper servicing of the lavatory system, but I did not actually witness the servicing of the lavatories. I was subsequently disciplined by my company. The factors that caused this were the fact that the lead utility person was not concerned about issuing the lavatory servicing paperwork to the person who was supposed to dump and service the lavatories. The person who was actually supposed to perform this function was heard to say that without this form they were not going to dump the lavatories even though she knew it was her responsibility to do so. I had seen lavatory trucks in the area and assumed this job was done. I operated all the lavatories before departure and they all worked normally. As for corrective actions: it should be the responsibility of the lead utility and utility person to sign for this job on the ETOPS paperwork. This aircraft and flight has a limited ground time and the mechanics only have a short time to re-position the aircraft, perform a critical ETOPS service check, and fix all logbook squawks. We cannot always be concerned with watching over utility people to make sure they also do their jobs properly.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B767-200 ROUTED ON AN EXTENDED RANGE OP DIVERTED DUE TO FAILURE OF BOTH LAVATORY FLUSH SYS CAUSED BY FAILURE TO PROPERLY SVC THE LAVATORY SYS PRIOR TO DEP.

Narrative: ACFT WAS FLYING ETOPS FROM ZZZ TO GERMANY AND DIVERTED TO IRELAND DUE TO INFLT SHUTDOWN OF BOTH LAVATORY SYS. PRIOR TO DEP, I SIGNED OFF PART OF A WORK CARD STATING THAT I VERIFIED THE PROPER SVCING OF THE LAVATORY SYS, BUT I DID NOT ACTUALLY WITNESS THE SVCING OF THE LAVATORIES. I WAS SUBSEQUENTLY DISCIPLINED BY MY COMPANY. THE FACTORS THAT CAUSED THIS WERE THE FACT THAT THE LEAD UTILITY PERSON WAS NOT CONCERNED ABOUT ISSUING THE LAVATORY SVCING PAPERWORK TO THE PERSON WHO WAS SUPPOSED TO DUMP AND SVC THE LAVATORIES. THE PERSON WHO WAS ACTUALLY SUPPOSED TO PERFORM THIS FUNCTION WAS HEARD TO SAY THAT WITHOUT THIS FORM THEY WERE NOT GOING TO DUMP THE LAVATORIES EVEN THOUGH SHE KNEW IT WAS HER RESPONSIBILITY TO DO SO. I HAD SEEN LAVATORY TRUCKS IN THE AREA AND ASSUMED THIS JOB WAS DONE. I OPERATED ALL THE LAVATORIES BEFORE DEP AND THEY ALL WORKED NORMALLY. AS FOR CORRECTIVE ACTIONS: IT SHOULD BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE LEAD UTILITY AND UTILITY PERSON TO SIGN FOR THIS JOB ON THE ETOPS PAPERWORK. THIS ACFT AND FLT HAS A LIMITED GND TIME AND THE MECHS ONLY HAVE A SHORT TIME TO RE-POS THE ACFT, PERFORM A CRITICAL ETOPS SVC CHK, AND FIX ALL LOGBOOK SQUAWKS. WE CANNOT ALWAYS BE CONCERNED WITH WATCHING OVER UTILITY PEOPLE TO MAKE SURE THEY ALSO DO THEIR JOBS PROPERLY.

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.

A B767-200 routed on an extended range operation diverted due to failure of both lavatory flush system caused by failure to properly service the lavatory system prior to departure.