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A B737-400 was dispatched with a damaged aft cargo compartment pressure relief panel deferred which is an MEL requirement.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 375395 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199707 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : sjc |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737-400 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | Other Other |
| Flight Phase | ground : preflight other |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 75 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 2500 |
| ASRS Report | 375395 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other other : unspecified |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
Shortly before block departure, I was notified by ground crew of the discovery of damage to the aft lower cargo compartment. I proceeded to the aft cargo area and inspected the aircraft damage. The forward 'pressure relief panel' in the aft cargo ceiling was pushed in. I notified contract maintenance and made an aircraft logbook write-up. Contract mechanic inspected the displaced panel and informed me he needed a torque wrench to reset the 'pressure relief panel' torque bolts to the proper torque setting. Unfortunately, a torque wrench was not available at the airport. Maintenance control then informed me of their intention to defer the item under B737 MEL XXXX. This MEL item refers to 'lower cargo compartment lining panels.' I had my doubts concerning the applicability of this deferral. It seemed to me that a 'lower cargo compartment lining panel' and a 'pressure relief panel' are not the same thing. I decided therefore to review the aircraft system manual, further review the MEL, consult with my copilot in addition to which I requested that the company page the B737 flight manager and have him give me a call. Reluctantly the maintenance control representative agreed. I had a conference call with the B737 flight manager, maintenance controller and myself. During this call, the maintenance controller repeatedly stated 'I'll take full responsibility.' I felt intimidated. I reminded the maintenance controller of my responsibilities as PIC. Complicating the matter was contract maintenance's refusal to defer the item under MEL XXXX. After all, this man was a certified mechanic for xyz air carrier. The maintenance controller spoke to me again in an intimidating tone saying 'that air carrier mechanic is full of shit...we've done this before...' in the end, I accepted the en route MEL XXXX, because in my opinion, the safety of flight was not affected. Administratively though, I have my doubts concerning the appropriateness of this deferral. More information on this matter is needed, and is apparently forthcoming from the B737 flight manager.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A B737-400 WAS DISPATCHED WITH A DAMAGED AFT CARGO COMPARTMENT PRESSURE RELIEF PANEL DEFERRED WHICH IS AN MEL REQUIREMENT.
Narrative: SHORTLY BEFORE BLOCK DEP, I WAS NOTIFIED BY GND CREW OF THE DISCOVERY OF DAMAGE TO THE AFT LOWER CARGO COMPARTMENT. I PROCEEDED TO THE AFT CARGO AREA AND INSPECTED THE ACFT DAMAGE. THE FORWARD 'PRESSURE RELIEF PANEL' IN THE AFT CARGO CEILING WAS PUSHED IN. I NOTIFIED CONTRACT MAINT AND MADE AN ACFT LOGBOOK WRITE-UP. CONTRACT MECH INSPECTED THE DISPLACED PANEL AND INFORMED ME HE NEEDED A TORQUE WRENCH TO RESET THE 'PRESSURE RELIEF PANEL' TORQUE BOLTS TO THE PROPER TORQUE SETTING. UNFORTUNATELY, A TORQUE WRENCH WAS NOT AVAILABLE AT THE ARPT. MAINT CTL THEN INFORMED ME OF THEIR INTENTION TO DEFER THE ITEM UNDER B737 MEL XXXX. THIS MEL ITEM REFERS TO 'LOWER CARGO COMPARTMENT LINING PANELS.' I HAD MY DOUBTS CONCERNING THE APPLICABILITY OF THIS DEFERRAL. IT SEEMED TO ME THAT A 'LOWER CARGO COMPARTMENT LINING PANEL' AND A 'PRESSURE RELIEF PANEL' ARE NOT THE SAME THING. I DECIDED THEREFORE TO REVIEW THE ACFT SYS MANUAL, FURTHER REVIEW THE MEL, CONSULT WITH MY COPLT IN ADDITION TO WHICH I REQUESTED THAT THE COMPANY PAGE THE B737 FLT MGR AND HAVE HIM GIVE ME A CALL. RELUCTANTLY THE MAINT CTL REPRESENTATIVE AGREED. I HAD A CONFERENCE CALL WITH THE B737 FLT MGR, MAINT CTLR AND MYSELF. DURING THIS CALL, THE MAINT CTLR REPEATEDLY STATED 'I'LL TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY.' I FELT INTIMIDATED. I REMINDED THE MAINT CTLR OF MY RESPONSIBILITIES AS PIC. COMPLICATING THE MATTER WAS CONTRACT MAINT'S REFUSAL TO DEFER THE ITEM UNDER MEL XXXX. AFTER ALL, THIS MAN WAS A CERTIFIED MECH FOR XYZ ACR. THE MAINT CTLR SPOKE TO ME AGAIN IN AN INTIMIDATING TONE SAYING 'THAT ACR MECH IS FULL OF SHIT...WE'VE DONE THIS BEFORE...' IN THE END, I ACCEPTED THE ENRTE MEL XXXX, BECAUSE IN MY OPINION, THE SAFETY OF FLT WAS NOT AFFECTED. ADMINISTRATIVELY THOUGH, I HAVE MY DOUBTS CONCERNING THE APPROPRIATENESS OF THIS DEFERRAL. MORE INFO ON THIS MATTER IS NEEDED, AND IS APPARENTLY FORTHCOMING FROM THE B737 FLT MGR.
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.