An MD88 captain accepts his aircraft with a non MEL'ed FMS that reflected an engine mix of 2 differe...

Attributes
ACN	459143
Time
Date	199912
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mke.airport
State Reference	WI
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-88
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : preflight ground : taxi ground : takeoff roll
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 195 flight time total : 13800 flight time type : 5400
ASRS Report	459143
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 6500 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	458578
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe maintenance problem : improper documentation maintenance problem : non compliance with mel non adherence : company policies non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : fms other other : 4
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Maintenance Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance Company Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

On dec/wed/99 I was PIC of an MD88 aircraft and went from mke to lax to mke. The aircraft had returned to service on dec/tue/99 after an engine change. On dec/wed/99 the aircraft had a mixed engine arrangement (one 219 and one 217 engine). Our flight plan information and takeoff performance information reflected the engine mix. Unfortunately, boeing and our maintenance department did not defer the FMS on board the aircraft or update the information in the FMS to reflect the engine mix. It was brought to my attention that on or about dec/fri/99 the FMS was deferred. Our company does not use the FMS for fuel burn, fuel remaining, or driftdown calculations. These items are covered in our flight plan data. At this point it does not appear that any far was violated. What did occur was the use of the FMS with incorrect data. It was a mistake by numerous people and departments. The problem has been handled by the deferring of the FMS until the engines can be matched. Supplemental information from acn 458578: the captain and I performed the receiving checklist and noticed that the trp tested like an MD81/82 not an MD88. He inquired with maintenance and was told the engines had been derated to an MD81/82 type. We never verified the change of engine models in the FMS and flew our flight. Neither the captain nor I had ever experienced an engine derate situation on an MD88 and didn't think to check the FMS identify page for the proper engine model number.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD88 CAPT ACCEPTS HIS ACFT WITH A NON MEL'ED FMS THAT REFLECTED AN ENG MIX OF 2 DIFFERENT TYPES OF ENGS, AFFECTING THE COMPUTER READOUT FOR CORRECT FMS DATA.

Narrative: ON DEC/WED/99 I WAS PIC OF AN MD88 ACFT AND WENT FROM MKE TO LAX TO MKE. THE ACFT HAD RETURNED TO SVC ON DEC/TUE/99 AFTER AN ENG CHANGE. ON DEC/WED/99 THE ACFT HAD A MIXED ENG ARRANGEMENT (ONE 219 AND ONE 217 ENG). OUR FLT PLAN INFO AND TKOF PERFORMANCE INFO REFLECTED THE ENG MIX. UNFORTUNATELY, BOEING AND OUR MAINT DEPT DID NOT DEFER THE FMS ON BOARD THE ACFT OR UPDATE THE INFO IN THE FMS TO REFLECT THE ENG MIX. IT WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTN THAT ON OR ABOUT DEC/FRI/99 THE FMS WAS DEFERRED. OUR COMPANY DOES NOT USE THE FMS FOR FUEL BURN, FUEL REMAINING, OR DRIFTDOWN CALCULATIONS. THESE ITEMS ARE COVERED IN OUR FLT PLAN DATA. AT THIS POINT IT DOES NOT APPEAR THAT ANY FAR WAS VIOLATED. WHAT DID OCCUR WAS THE USE OF THE FMS WITH INCORRECT DATA. IT WAS A MISTAKE BY NUMEROUS PEOPLE AND DEPTS. THE PROB HAS BEEN HANDLED BY THE DEFERRING OF THE FMS UNTIL THE ENGS CAN BE MATCHED. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 458578: THE CAPT AND I PERFORMED THE RECEIVING CHKLIST AND NOTICED THAT THE TRP TESTED LIKE AN MD81/82 NOT AN MD88. HE INQUIRED WITH MAINT AND WAS TOLD THE ENGS HAD BEEN DERATED TO AN MD81/82 TYPE. WE NEVER VERIFIED THE CHANGE OF ENG MODELS IN THE FMS AND FLEW OUR FLT. NEITHER THE CAPT NOR I HAD EVER EXPERIENCED AN ENG DERATE SIT ON AN MD88 AND DIDN'T THINK TO CHK THE FMS IDENT PAGE FOR THE PROPER ENG MODEL NUMBER.

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.

An MD88 captain accepts his aircraft with a non MEL'ed FMS that reflected an engine mix of 2 different types of engines, affecting the computer readout for correct FMS data.