Narrative:

On sep/xa/99 air carrier aircraft xyz was undergoing a check by air carrier mechanics in ZZZ. I was contacted by a mechanic advising me that all 3 hydraulic accumulators of aircraft had failed the check as outlined in the 'a' check job card. Job card wxxx specifies each hydraulic system to be depressurized and the resultant air pressure (as read by independent gauges) to be noted. This value is to be compared to a temperature compensated chart to determine the proper service of the hydraulic accumulator. If the resultant pressure is within +/-220 psi of the target value then the accumulator is svced to target with no further action. If the accumulator is more than 220 psi below the target, then a leak check is conducted of the gas manifold of the associated accumulator. If no leaks are found, then the failed accumulator is to be replaced. (Maintenance manual allows for +/-290 psi.) all 3 hydraulic accumulators were found to be 500 psi low with no external air leaks noted. The 3 hydraulic system are separate and distinct indicating that each accumulator had identical internal failures and leak rates or the accumulators were previously mis-svced. Based on experience, I believed the accumulators to be mis-svced. Contrary to the job card and maintenance manual, I advised the mechanic to service to target and create deferred items to have the accumulators leak checked per the maintenance manual within 30 flight hours (the remaining time left on the 'a' check). Because my decision was contrary to a specific job card and maintenance manual instruction with no supporting authority/authorized, a maintenance directive to have all 3 accumulators has been issued. (The subsequent leak check per the maintenance manual showed all 3 accumulators had no discrepancies.) I'm currently consulting with air carrier engineering for the inclusion into the 'a' check paperwork allowing for relief and subsequent rechk of the hydraulic accumulators in like sits.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN AIRBUS 319 WAS DISPATCHED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH ALL 3 MAIN HYD SYS ACCUMULATORS FAILING THE JOB CARD AND MAINT MANUAL PRESSURE LEAK CHK.

Narrative: ON SEP/XA/99 ACR ACFT XYZ WAS UNDERGOING A CHK BY ACR MECHS IN ZZZ. I WAS CONTACTED BY A MECH ADVISING ME THAT ALL 3 HYD ACCUMULATORS OF ACFT HAD FAILED THE CHK AS OUTLINED IN THE 'A' CHK JOB CARD. JOB CARD WXXX SPECIFIES EACH HYD SYS TO BE DEPRESSURIZED AND THE RESULTANT AIR PRESSURE (AS READ BY INDEPENDENT GAUGES) TO BE NOTED. THIS VALUE IS TO BE COMPARED TO A TEMP COMPENSATED CHART TO DETERMINE THE PROPER SVC OF THE HYD ACCUMULATOR. IF THE RESULTANT PRESSURE IS WITHIN +/-220 PSI OF THE TARGET VALUE THEN THE ACCUMULATOR IS SVCED TO TARGET WITH NO FURTHER ACTION. IF THE ACCUMULATOR IS MORE THAN 220 PSI BELOW THE TARGET, THEN A LEAK CHK IS CONDUCTED OF THE GAS MANIFOLD OF THE ASSOCIATED ACCUMULATOR. IF NO LEAKS ARE FOUND, THEN THE FAILED ACCUMULATOR IS TO BE REPLACED. (MAINT MANUAL ALLOWS FOR +/-290 PSI.) ALL 3 HYD ACCUMULATORS WERE FOUND TO BE 500 PSI LOW WITH NO EXTERNAL AIR LEAKS NOTED. THE 3 HYD SYS ARE SEPARATE AND DISTINCT INDICATING THAT EACH ACCUMULATOR HAD IDENTICAL INTERNAL FAILURES AND LEAK RATES OR THE ACCUMULATORS WERE PREVIOUSLY MIS-SVCED. BASED ON EXPERIENCE, I BELIEVED THE ACCUMULATORS TO BE MIS-SVCED. CONTRARY TO THE JOB CARD AND MAINT MANUAL, I ADVISED THE MECH TO SVC TO TARGET AND CREATE DEFERRED ITEMS TO HAVE THE ACCUMULATORS LEAK CHKED PER THE MAINT MANUAL WITHIN 30 FLT HRS (THE REMAINING TIME LEFT ON THE 'A' CHK). BECAUSE MY DECISION WAS CONTRARY TO A SPECIFIC JOB CARD AND MAINT MANUAL INSTRUCTION WITH NO SUPPORTING AUTH, A MAINT DIRECTIVE TO HAVE ALL 3 ACCUMULATORS HAS BEEN ISSUED. (THE SUBSEQUENT LEAK CHK PER THE MAINT MANUAL SHOWED ALL 3 ACCUMULATORS HAD NO DISCREPANCIES.) I'M CURRENTLY CONSULTING WITH ACR ENGINEERING FOR THE INCLUSION INTO THE 'A' CHK PAPERWORK ALLOWING FOR RELIEF AND SUBSEQUENT RECHK OF THE HYD ACCUMULATORS IN LIKE SITS.

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.