Narrative:

Inbound crew had written up overhead bin, forward most position, aircraft left. This bin contains emergency equipment. The mechanic dispatched determined that the bin could not be repaired at the present time and would have to be deferred as per maintenance controller yxyx. The mechanic indicated that he had discussed the situation with maintenance controller and that the overhead bin would be rendered inoperative, taped closed, and the emergency equipment repositioned to the overhead bin on the opposite side of the aircraft, forward most position. After my conversation with the mechanic, I called dispatch to advise of the confign of the aircraft, and requested his input as to the legal implications and operational implications of this action. I also brought forward the fact that I was unable to justify any of this in the MEL. A 3-WAY call to maintenance controller was made where I expressed my multiple concerns with this operation as did the dispatcher. Maintenance controller advised that this would not be referenced in the MEL but deferred to the maintenance computer tracking system for tracking and future repair. I questioned the placarding method and the legal implications. After further discussion with the dispatcher, I agreed to accept the aircraft with the approval to do so from maintenance controller on the release. The dispatcher indicated that he had not seen anything like this in 18 yrs at air carrier and agreed to the verbiage on the release. I expressed my concerns for turbulence and the security of the emergency equipment in the overhead bin aircraft right side. There was a 'home made' placard taped to the original emergency equipment bin reflecting the change of position of the equipment and the logbook was signed off as such.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B727-200 HAD THE EMER EQUIP IN AN UNSVCABLE OVERHEAD BIN RELOCATED IN THE CABIN DEFERRED WITH NO MEL REF REQUIREMENTS OR PROCS.

Narrative: INBOUND CREW HAD WRITTEN UP OVERHEAD BIN, FORWARD MOST POS, ACFT L. THIS BIN CONTAINS EMER EQUIP. THE MECH DISPATCHED DETERMINED THAT THE BIN COULD NOT BE REPAIRED AT THE PRESENT TIME AND WOULD HAVE TO BE DEFERRED AS PER MAINT CTLR YXYX. THE MECH INDICATED THAT HE HAD DISCUSSED THE SIT WITH MAINT CTLR AND THAT THE OVERHEAD BIN WOULD BE RENDERED INOP, TAPED CLOSED, AND THE EMER EQUIP REPOSITIONED TO THE OVERHEAD BIN ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE ACFT, FORWARD MOST POS. AFTER MY CONVERSATION WITH THE MECH, I CALLED DISPATCH TO ADVISE OF THE CONFIGN OF THE ACFT, AND REQUESTED HIS INPUT AS TO THE LEGAL IMPLICATIONS AND OPERATIONAL IMPLICATIONS OF THIS ACTION. I ALSO BROUGHT FORWARD THE FACT THAT I WAS UNABLE TO JUSTIFY ANY OF THIS IN THE MEL. A 3-WAY CALL TO MAINT CTLR WAS MADE WHERE I EXPRESSED MY MULTIPLE CONCERNS WITH THIS OP AS DID THE DISPATCHER. MAINT CTLR ADVISED THAT THIS WOULD NOT BE REFED IN THE MEL BUT DEFERRED TO THE MAINT COMPUTER TRACKING SYS FOR TRACKING AND FUTURE REPAIR. I QUESTIONED THE PLACARDING METHOD AND THE LEGAL IMPLICATIONS. AFTER FURTHER DISCUSSION WITH THE DISPATCHER, I AGREED TO ACCEPT THE ACFT WITH THE APPROVAL TO DO SO FROM MAINT CTLR ON THE RELEASE. THE DISPATCHER INDICATED THAT HE HAD NOT SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS IN 18 YRS AT ACR AND AGREED TO THE VERBIAGE ON THE RELEASE. I EXPRESSED MY CONCERNS FOR TURB AND THE SECURITY OF THE EMER EQUIP IN THE OVERHEAD BIN ACFT R SIDE. THERE WAS A 'HOME MADE' PLACARD TAPED TO THE ORIGINAL EMER EQUIP BIN REFLECTING THE CHANGE OF POS OF THE EQUIP AND THE LOGBOOK WAS SIGNED OFF AS SUCH.

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.