Narrative:

Air carrier has a maintenance contract with air carrier yxy since they got rid of their maintenance. I was sent to 'oil' an air carrier yxy A320. When A320 got there, the copilot said #1 engine oil quantity was deferred and wanted us to just check the oil level. Looking at their MEL said to open the cowls and look for leaks plus top it off. That part was ok. I then called an 800 number and spoke to xxz, some kind maintenance control guy. I told him what we did and he took my a&P number. This job was written on an air carrier yxy 'log page.' the guy said to fill that out and we were done. Since we cleared a log, I asked if we needed a maintenance release (our air carrier does this) and the guy says, 'you shouldn't, I don't think so.' I asked if anyone there had an a&P and knew air carrier yxy procedures, and xxz said, 'that's me.' I did my best and gave the logbook back to the pilot. He asked me to sign a blank box with the word signature in it. I asked what the box meant and he said that we checked #1 oil quantity. I said where does it say that, I don't sign blank boxes. He says, you signed the text, what's the difference, besides we are being 'looked at.' I said bye! The only reference to a deferred item was a yellow sticker on the front of the book -- their required inspection item list is a photocopy scotch taped to the back of book. Everyone is just looking in the oil tank when their MEL says to open the cowls and look for leaks. Their maintenance control guy xxz didn't even know this. The plane was ok, but the paperwork was a mess and air carrier yxy was no help.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN AIRBUS 320 NEEDED AN OIL SVC CHK FOR A DEFERRED ITEM. THE SVCING MECH ENCOUNTERED CONFUSED AND INADEQUATE LOGBOOK AND ACFT DOCUMENTATION PAPERWORK.

Narrative: ACR HAS A MAINT CONTRACT WITH ACR YXY SINCE THEY GOT RID OF THEIR MAINT. I WAS SENT TO 'OIL' AN ACR YXY A320. WHEN A320 GOT THERE, THE COPLT SAID #1 ENG OIL QUANTITY WAS DEFERRED AND WANTED US TO JUST CHK THE OIL LEVEL. LOOKING AT THEIR MEL SAID TO OPEN THE COWLS AND LOOK FOR LEAKS PLUS TOP IT OFF. THAT PART WAS OK. I THEN CALLED AN 800 NUMBER AND SPOKE TO XXZ, SOME KIND MAINT CTL GUY. I TOLD HIM WHAT WE DID AND HE TOOK MY A&P NUMBER. THIS JOB WAS WRITTEN ON AN ACR YXY 'LOG PAGE.' THE GUY SAID TO FILL THAT OUT AND WE WERE DONE. SINCE WE CLRED A LOG, I ASKED IF WE NEEDED A MAINT RELEASE (OUR ACR DOES THIS) AND THE GUY SAYS, 'YOU SHOULDN'T, I DON'T THINK SO.' I ASKED IF ANYONE THERE HAD AN A&P AND KNEW ACR YXY PROCS, AND XXZ SAID, 'THAT'S ME.' I DID MY BEST AND GAVE THE LOGBOOK BACK TO THE PLT. HE ASKED ME TO SIGN A BLANK BOX WITH THE WORD SIGNATURE IN IT. I ASKED WHAT THE BOX MEANT AND HE SAID THAT WE CHKED #1 OIL QUANTITY. I SAID WHERE DOES IT SAY THAT, I DON'T SIGN BLANK BOXES. HE SAYS, YOU SIGNED THE TEXT, WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE, BESIDES WE ARE BEING 'LOOKED AT.' I SAID BYE! THE ONLY REF TO A DEFERRED ITEM WAS A YELLOW STICKER ON THE FRONT OF THE BOOK -- THEIR REQUIRED INSPECTION ITEM LIST IS A PHOTOCOPY SCOTCH TAPED TO THE BACK OF BOOK. EVERYONE IS JUST LOOKING IN THE OIL TANK WHEN THEIR MEL SAYS TO OPEN THE COWLS AND LOOK FOR LEAKS. THEIR MAINT CTL GUY XXZ DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THIS. THE PLANE WAS OK, BUT THE PAPERWORK WAS A MESS AND ACR YXY WAS NO HELP.

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.