Narrative:

I started a trip at XA15 in ZZZ. I checked in and proceeded to my assigned aircraft and performed the normal receiving checks. The aircraft had 2 MEL's and 1 cdl. We were scheduled to leave at XB15 and planning to fly 5 legs that day in the same aircraft. After finishing the third leg in ZZZ, we were ramp checked by 2 FAA representatives. They were questioning our maintenance personnel about the cdl. The cdl was the left main gear door. It was removed several days prior and had not been replaced. Apparently just a couple of days before, one of our line mechanics was fired for not replacing the gear door. He claimed he did not have the proper equipment to legally do the job and therefore was fired unjustly. He called and reported this information to the FAA and this is the reason why we were being ramp checked. During the ramp check the FAA noticed another discrepancy on our dispatch release. He discovered that even though the cdl was listed, the limitations were not listed and the performance (namely the TAS and fuel burn) were not computed based on the new limitations. The cdl book says that with a gear door removed, the aircraft must be flown at 250 KTS or .65 mach -- whichever is less. I overlooked this note during the receiving check and dispatch failed to include the information on the release. Also, I spoke to dispatch and they claim they are not required to list any restrs on our release. Even though the PIC is responsible, I feel that dispatch should be required to list any limitations that affects the flight plan. The gear door was missing for several days and if the limitations were required to be listed on the release this could have been avoided. Also, our cdl book is in the back of our aircraft flight manual, which is stored behind the captain's seat. I feel it would be much more accessible and available if the cdl was in a separate book like the MEL or even included with the MEL book. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated it is the policy of the company not to include limitations for deferred or removed items on the release paperwork. The reporter said the aircraft was not placarded per the cdl for fuel burn and speed limits. The reporter stated a strong suggestion was submitted to change the release paperwork to include the actual condition of the aircraft.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN EMBRAER 145 WAS DISPATCHED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH THE L MAIN GEAR DOOR REMOVED BUT THE LIMITATIONS WERE NOT ENTERED ON THE RELEASE OR PLACARDED.

Narrative: I STARTED A TRIP AT XA15 IN ZZZ. I CHKED IN AND PROCEEDED TO MY ASSIGNED ACFT AND PERFORMED THE NORMAL RECEIVING CHKS. THE ACFT HAD 2 MEL'S AND 1 CDL. WE WERE SCHEDULED TO LEAVE AT XB15 AND PLANNING TO FLY 5 LEGS THAT DAY IN THE SAME ACFT. AFTER FINISHING THE THIRD LEG IN ZZZ, WE WERE RAMP CHKED BY 2 FAA REPRESENTATIVES. THEY WERE QUESTIONING OUR MAINT PERSONNEL ABOUT THE CDL. THE CDL WAS THE L MAIN GEAR DOOR. IT WAS REMOVED SEVERAL DAYS PRIOR AND HAD NOT BEEN REPLACED. APPARENTLY JUST A COUPLE OF DAYS BEFORE, ONE OF OUR LINE MECHS WAS FIRED FOR NOT REPLACING THE GEAR DOOR. HE CLAIMED HE DID NOT HAVE THE PROPER EQUIP TO LEGALLY DO THE JOB AND THEREFORE WAS FIRED UNJUSTLY. HE CALLED AND RPTED THIS INFO TO THE FAA AND THIS IS THE REASON WHY WE WERE BEING RAMP CHKED. DURING THE RAMP CHK THE FAA NOTICED ANOTHER DISCREPANCY ON OUR DISPATCH RELEASE. HE DISCOVERED THAT EVEN THOUGH THE CDL WAS LISTED, THE LIMITATIONS WERE NOT LISTED AND THE PERFORMANCE (NAMELY THE TAS AND FUEL BURN) WERE NOT COMPUTED BASED ON THE NEW LIMITATIONS. THE CDL BOOK SAYS THAT WITH A GEAR DOOR REMOVED, THE ACFT MUST BE FLOWN AT 250 KTS OR .65 MACH -- WHICHEVER IS LESS. I OVERLOOKED THIS NOTE DURING THE RECEIVING CHK AND DISPATCH FAILED TO INCLUDE THE INFO ON THE RELEASE. ALSO, I SPOKE TO DISPATCH AND THEY CLAIM THEY ARE NOT REQUIRED TO LIST ANY RESTRS ON OUR RELEASE. EVEN THOUGH THE PIC IS RESPONSIBLE, I FEEL THAT DISPATCH SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO LIST ANY LIMITATIONS THAT AFFECTS THE FLT PLAN. THE GEAR DOOR WAS MISSING FOR SEVERAL DAYS AND IF THE LIMITATIONS WERE REQUIRED TO BE LISTED ON THE RELEASE THIS COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED. ALSO, OUR CDL BOOK IS IN THE BACK OF OUR ACFT FLT MANUAL, WHICH IS STORED BEHIND THE CAPT'S SEAT. I FEEL IT WOULD BE MUCH MORE ACCESSIBLE AND AVAILABLE IF THE CDL WAS IN A SEPARATE BOOK LIKE THE MEL OR EVEN INCLUDED WITH THE MEL BOOK. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED IT IS THE POLICY OF THE COMPANY NOT TO INCLUDE LIMITATIONS FOR DEFERRED OR REMOVED ITEMS ON THE RELEASE PAPERWORK. THE RPTR SAID THE ACFT WAS NOT PLACARDED PER THE CDL FOR FUEL BURN AND SPD LIMITS. THE RPTR STATED A STRONG SUGGESTION WAS SUBMITTED TO CHANGE THE RELEASE PAPERWORK TO INCLUDE THE ACTUAL CONDITION OF THE ACFT.

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.