An MD88 had the left reverser deferred as inoperative due to a leaking reverser accumulator. The MEL...

Narrative:

Near departure time, flight crew noticed the left thrust reverser 'accumulator low' message illuminated, and call for maintenance. I checked the accumulator pressure and found it approximately 50 psi low (1000 psi normal). I svced the accumulator to proper pressure and rechked the 'low' message. The 'accumulator low' message was still illuminated. I decided to defer maintenance and avoid further delay (the pressure switch replacement would take too much time) by deactivating the left thrust reverser. Dispatch approval is required, so I called our MD88 system maintenance coordinator. After getting approval to defer (mco) the left thrust reverser, I told the system maintenance coordinator that I was aware that I had to check the reverser doors for being fully faired and check the overctr links for being overctr and had to pin the thrust reverser control valve in the dump position. I then asked our MD88 system maintenance coordinator (who has a copy of the MEL at his desk) if there was anything else I was required to do for this deferral and he said no, that I had it all covered. I then proceeded to lock out the left thrust reverser, feeling that I had been given good information. I completed the job and required paperwork and left the aircraft to depart on its flight. The flight crew discovered the circuit breaker for the left thrust reverser 'accumulator low' message had not been pulled and secured (per the MEL) and obtained a circuit breaker collar from a passing mechanic and pulled and collared the 'accumulator low' message circuit breaker. The flight then departed. An FAA inspector was on board (jump seat) and he was rightfully displeased with the obvious lack of proper procedures (pulling/securing the circuit breaker), and called our maintenance coordination center at the flight's destination to let them know he was going to pursue the matter against me.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD88 HAD THE L REVERSER DEFERRED AS INOP DUE TO A LEAKING REVERSER ACCUMULATOR. THE MEL PROC TO PULL AND LOCK ACCUMULATOR LOW MESSAGE CIRCUIT BREAKER WAS ACCOMPLISHED BY THE FLC AND NOT BY THE MECH WHO SIGNED THE MAINT RELEASE.

Narrative: NEAR DEP TIME, FLC NOTICED THE L THRUST REVERSER 'ACCUMULATOR LOW' MESSAGE ILLUMINATED, AND CALL FOR MAINT. I CHKED THE ACCUMULATOR PRESSURE AND FOUND IT APPROX 50 PSI LOW (1000 PSI NORMAL). I SVCED THE ACCUMULATOR TO PROPER PRESSURE AND RECHKED THE 'LOW' MESSAGE. THE 'ACCUMULATOR LOW' MESSAGE WAS STILL ILLUMINATED. I DECIDED TO DEFER MAINT AND AVOID FURTHER DELAY (THE PRESSURE SWITCH REPLACEMENT WOULD TAKE TOO MUCH TIME) BY DEACTIVATING THE L THRUST REVERSER. DISPATCH APPROVAL IS REQUIRED, SO I CALLED OUR MD88 SYS MAINT COORDINATOR. AFTER GETTING APPROVAL TO DEFER (MCO) THE L THRUST REVERSER, I TOLD THE SYS MAINT COORDINATOR THAT I WAS AWARE THAT I HAD TO CHK THE REVERSER DOORS FOR BEING FULLY FAIRED AND CHK THE OVERCTR LINKS FOR BEING OVERCTR AND HAD TO PIN THE THRUST REVERSER CTL VALVE IN THE DUMP POS. I THEN ASKED OUR MD88 SYS MAINT COORDINATOR (WHO HAS A COPY OF THE MEL AT HIS DESK) IF THERE WAS ANYTHING ELSE I WAS REQUIRED TO DO FOR THIS DEFERRAL AND HE SAID NO, THAT I HAD IT ALL COVERED. I THEN PROCEEDED TO LOCK OUT THE L THRUST REVERSER, FEELING THAT I HAD BEEN GIVEN GOOD INFO. I COMPLETED THE JOB AND REQUIRED PAPERWORK AND LEFT THE ACFT TO DEPART ON ITS FLT. THE FLC DISCOVERED THE CIRCUIT BREAKER FOR THE L THRUST REVERSER 'ACCUMULATOR LOW' MESSAGE HAD NOT BEEN PULLED AND SECURED (PER THE MEL) AND OBTAINED A CIRCUIT BREAKER COLLAR FROM A PASSING MECH AND PULLED AND COLLARED THE 'ACCUMULATOR LOW' MESSAGE CIRCUIT BREAKER. THE FLT THEN DEPARTED. AN FAA INSPECTOR WAS ON BOARD (JUMP SEAT) AND HE WAS RIGHTFULLY DISPLEASED WITH THE OBVIOUS LACK OF PROPER PROCS (PULLING/SECURING THE CIRCUIT BREAKER), AND CALLED OUR MAINT COORDINATION CTR AT THE FLT'S DEST TO LET THEM KNOW HE WAS GOING TO PURSUE THE MATTER AGAINST ME.

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.

Attributes
ACN	413656
Time
Date	199809
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-88
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
ASRS Report	413656
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel other oversight : supervisor
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

An MD88 had the left reverser deferred as inoperative due to a leaking reverser accumulator. The MEL procedure to pull and lock accumulator low message circuit breaker was accomplished by the flight crew and not by the mechanic who signed the maintenance release.