Narrative:

Picked up DC9 in abc to originating trip abc-ZZZ. During my walkaround due to snow and ice I also inspected tailskid bumper. As per our manual the tail bumper was undamaged and the indicator was safetied in the horizontal position. The wear plate had a flat spot from being scraped but it was whole, intact and in good condition which meets the guidance of our flight manual. While sitting in cockpit at our ZZZ gate the line mechanic who met the flight informed us that the skid plate was scraped. I told him that we were aware of that. He concluded that the bumper and indicator were good but he wanted to change the skid plate. He asked me to write it up in the logbook which I did. He told me he would put a 25 min etr (estimated time of repair) on our flight. It seems he had never changed one of these and his 25 min job turned into hours. The company canceled our next 2 legs with this aircraft and gave us another for our final leg to our routine overnight. The majority of DC9's have their skid plate scraped. That's what it's for, to protect the bumper. As long as it's in one piece and secure to the bumper body it is ok for service. Beyond that it is a maintenance call. If our inspection (preflight) requires more detail that should be addressed.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DC9-30 INCURRED A LENGTHY DELAY DUE TO TECHNICIAN INSISTENCE ON REPLACING THE TAILSKID SHOE WHICH CREW BELIEVES WAS WITHIN LIMITS FOR SVC.

Narrative: PICKED UP DC9 IN ABC TO ORIGINATING TRIP ABC-ZZZ. DURING MY WALKAROUND DUE TO SNOW AND ICE I ALSO INSPECTED TAILSKID BUMPER. AS PER OUR MANUAL THE TAIL BUMPER WAS UNDAMAGED AND THE INDICATOR WAS SAFETIED IN THE HORIZ POS. THE WEAR PLATE HAD A FLAT SPOT FROM BEING SCRAPED BUT IT WAS WHOLE, INTACT AND IN GOOD CONDITION WHICH MEETS THE GUIDANCE OF OUR FLT MANUAL. WHILE SITTING IN COCKPIT AT OUR ZZZ GATE THE LINE MECH WHO MET THE FLT INFORMED US THAT THE SKID PLATE WAS SCRAPED. I TOLD HIM THAT WE WERE AWARE OF THAT. HE CONCLUDED THAT THE BUMPER AND INDICATOR WERE GOOD BUT HE WANTED TO CHANGE THE SKID PLATE. HE ASKED ME TO WRITE IT UP IN THE LOGBOOK WHICH I DID. HE TOLD ME HE WOULD PUT A 25 MIN ETR (ESTIMATED TIME OF REPAIR) ON OUR FLT. IT SEEMS HE HAD NEVER CHANGED ONE OF THESE AND HIS 25 MIN JOB TURNED INTO HRS. THE COMPANY CANCELED OUR NEXT 2 LEGS WITH THIS ACFT AND GAVE US ANOTHER FOR OUR FINAL LEG TO OUR ROUTINE OVERNIGHT. THE MAJORITY OF DC9'S HAVE THEIR SKID PLATE SCRAPED. THAT'S WHAT IT'S FOR, TO PROTECT THE BUMPER. AS LONG AS IT'S IN ONE PIECE AND SECURE TO THE BUMPER BODY IT IS OK FOR SVC. BEYOND THAT IT IS A MAINT CALL. IF OUR INSPECTION (PREFLT) REQUIRES MORE DETAIL THAT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED.

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.