Super 80 flight crew gets engine light activation and diverts to rdu. Maintenance feels placard will...

Attributes
ACN	380738
Time
Date	199709
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zdc
State Reference	DC
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc tracon : mci
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight attendant : on duty
Qualification	other other : other
Experience	flight time total : 10
ASRS Report	380738
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

During the flight the cockpit notified the #1 flight attendant that we had a light indicating the left engine was malfunctioning. They turned the engine off. We diverted to rdu. Mechanics looked at it. The decision was made to placard the light. On pushback from rdu, there was another mechanical that had to be checked out. Finally, we continued to phl. During the flight, the cockpit told the flight attendants that they were going to turn off the left engine again because the light was coming back on. The plane should have been taken OTS in rdu. I don't think something so serious should have been placarded. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states that there was a discussion between other flight attendants and they all felt that the aircraft should have been grounded in rdu. No follow-up was attempted by reporter with flight crew. She was present when the mechanic in rdu stated it was up to the captain if he wanted aircraft placarded or grounded. After some hesitation, he elected to continue with placard, not expecting any further problems.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SUPER 80 FLC GETS ENG LIGHT ACTIVATION AND DIVERTS TO RDU. MAINT FEELS PLACARD WILL BE SUFFICIENT UNTIL FLT IS COMPLETED. CAPT AGREES AND FLT CONTINUES ONLY TO HAVE THE LIGHT ACTIVATE AGAIN. FLT ATTENDANT RPT STATES BELIEF THAT ACFT SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN RELEASED FROM RDU.

Narrative: DURING THE FLT THE COCKPIT NOTIFIED THE #1 FLT ATTENDANT THAT WE HAD A LIGHT INDICATING THE L ENG WAS MALFUNCTIONING. THEY TURNED THE ENG OFF. WE DIVERTED TO RDU. MECHS LOOKED AT IT. THE DECISION WAS MADE TO PLACARD THE LIGHT. ON PUSHBACK FROM RDU, THERE WAS ANOTHER MECHANICAL THAT HAD TO BE CHKED OUT. FINALLY, WE CONTINUED TO PHL. DURING THE FLT, THE COCKPIT TOLD THE FLT ATTENDANTS THAT THEY WERE GOING TO TURN OFF THE L ENG AGAIN BECAUSE THE LIGHT WAS COMING BACK ON. THE PLANE SHOULD HAVE BEEN TAKEN OTS IN RDU. I DON'T THINK SOMETHING SO SERIOUS SHOULD HAVE BEEN PLACARDED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THAT THERE WAS A DISCUSSION BTWN OTHER FLT ATTENDANTS AND THEY ALL FELT THAT THE ACFT SHOULD HAVE BEEN GNDED IN RDU. NO FOLLOW-UP WAS ATTEMPTED BY RPTR WITH FLC. SHE WAS PRESENT WHEN THE MECH IN RDU STATED IT WAS UP TO THE CAPT IF HE WANTED ACFT PLACARDED OR GNDED. AFTER SOME HESITATION, HE ELECTED TO CONTINUE WITH PLACARD, NOT EXPECTING ANY FURTHER PROBS.

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.