Narrative:

My flight crew and I received our aircraft from the inbound crew with approximately 25 mins until our scheduled departure time. As I did my preflight inspection I noted a mechanical irregularity that would have certainly led to a delay in departure time or possibly the cancellation of the flight. The irregularity was a faulty oil pressure gauge that would cause erroneous and unreliable readings. I chose to ignore the discrepancy and made every effort for an on time departure. Recent letters to the air carrier pilots from our president/ceo wzzxx has intimidated pilots to the point of ignoring mechanical irregularities. It is the position of the company that pilots who are making maintenance write-ups are participating in a work slowdown. It is believed by the pilots that we face possible reprimand from the company if we are considered part of a slowdown. In fact, rumor has it as many as 20 capts are on a list and face suspension. My prior 2 flts had been canceled due to a maintenance write up I had made. I had an uncomfortable feeling after those 2 cancellations, now feeling like a target. Oddly enough, it was the same irregularity that I was again facing. I believed that had I made another write-up so soon after 2 cancellations, I would have certainly faced scrutiny by the company. At the same time, I believed that I would face scrutiny if they knew about the discrepancy and I didn't write it up. It was a 'catch 22.' I made the decision to not report the irregularity based on my thought that it was less likely they knew the aircraft had the same discrepancy.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A FOKKER 28 WAS DISPATCHED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH A KNOWN ENG OIL PRESSURE INDICATOR MALFUNCTION BUT NOT ENTERED IN LOGBOOK.

Narrative: MY FLC AND I RECEIVED OUR ACFT FROM THE INBOUND CREW WITH APPROX 25 MINS UNTIL OUR SCHEDULED DEP TIME. AS I DID MY PREFLT INSPECTION I NOTED A MECHANICAL IRREGULARITY THAT WOULD HAVE CERTAINLY LED TO A DELAY IN DEP TIME OR POSSIBLY THE CANCELLATION OF THE FLT. THE IRREGULARITY WAS A FAULTY OIL PRESSURE GAUGE THAT WOULD CAUSE ERRONEOUS AND UNRELIABLE READINGS. I CHOSE TO IGNORE THE DISCREPANCY AND MADE EVERY EFFORT FOR AN ON TIME DEP. RECENT LETTERS TO THE ACR PLTS FROM OUR PRESIDENT/CEO WZZXX HAS INTIMIDATED PLTS TO THE POINT OF IGNORING MECHANICAL IRREGULARITIES. IT IS THE POS OF THE COMPANY THAT PLTS WHO ARE MAKING MAINT WRITE-UPS ARE PARTICIPATING IN A WORK SLOWDOWN. IT IS BELIEVED BY THE PLTS THAT WE FACE POSSIBLE REPRIMAND FROM THE COMPANY IF WE ARE CONSIDERED PART OF A SLOWDOWN. IN FACT, RUMOR HAS IT AS MANY AS 20 CAPTS ARE ON A LIST AND FACE SUSPENSION. MY PRIOR 2 FLTS HAD BEEN CANCELED DUE TO A MAINT WRITE UP I HAD MADE. I HAD AN UNCOMFORTABLE FEELING AFTER THOSE 2 CANCELLATIONS, NOW FEELING LIKE A TARGET. ODDLY ENOUGH, IT WAS THE SAME IRREGULARITY THAT I WAS AGAIN FACING. I BELIEVED THAT HAD I MADE ANOTHER WRITE-UP SO SOON AFTER 2 CANCELLATIONS, I WOULD HAVE CERTAINLY FACED SCRUTINY BY THE COMPANY. AT THE SAME TIME, I BELIEVED THAT I WOULD FACE SCRUTINY IF THEY KNEW ABOUT THE DISCREPANCY AND I DIDN'T WRITE IT UP. IT WAS A 'CATCH 22.' I MADE THE DECISION TO NOT RPT THE IRREGULARITY BASED ON MY THOUGHT THAT IT WAS LESS LIKELY THEY KNEW THE ACFT HAD THE SAME DISCREPANCY.

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.