A B727-200 flight crew and cabin team elects to take their aircraft from ord to mci without a potabl...

Attributes
ACN	464350
Time
Date	200002
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord.airport
State Reference	IL
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff ground : taxi ground : takeoff roll
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	464350
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe cabin event other maintenance problem : improper maintenance non adherence : company policies non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : 5
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	other other Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Maintenance Human Performance Aircraft Cabin Crew Human Performance Company
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Upon taxiing out of ramp, I was notified by flight attendant that there was no water in lavatories or coffee makers. I suspected valve being left open on service panel. I called ramp and asked for someone to come and check it while still on ramp. They said they could not, and asked for us to go to ground control and come back to gate. In my experience, that meant a possible sizable delay. I explained situation to flight attendants and said we could make an hour flight without and left it up to them. They said they could make do. Temperature was above freezing and I meant to keep aircraft in a relatively warm environment by flying a parabolic with FL200 tops. Got in line and got off fast. Called dispatch and told them of my intent and they agreed. When I got to kansas city, I inspected service panel and found service panel ok with water dripping from belly. Aircraft was never in freezing condition. I called company and briefed technician. Air carrier Y fixed the problem overnight, which was a loose connection at valve. Took aircraft out next day on time. I feel my actions were safe, knowing I was to keep aircraft in warm environment. Did not consult MEL which states, 'no water, others need to concur.' passenger were briefed en route and happy on arrival with my decision. Total air temperature 11 degrees C at mid flight.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B727-200 FLC AND CABIN TEAM ELECTS TO TAKE THEIR ACFT FROM ORD TO MCI WITHOUT A POTABLE WATER SUPPLY FOR COFFEE MAKERS AND LAVATORIES SINCE RETURNING TO THE GATE MIGHT ENTAIL A HEALTHY DELAY AT ORD, IL.

Narrative: UPON TAXIING OUT OF RAMP, I WAS NOTIFIED BY FLT ATTENDANT THAT THERE WAS NO WATER IN LAVATORIES OR COFFEE MAKERS. I SUSPECTED VALVE BEING LEFT OPEN ON SVC PANEL. I CALLED RAMP AND ASKED FOR SOMEONE TO COME AND CHK IT WHILE STILL ON RAMP. THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT, AND ASKED FOR US TO GO TO GND CTL AND COME BACK TO GATE. IN MY EXPERIENCE, THAT MEANT A POSSIBLE SIZABLE DELAY. I EXPLAINED SIT TO FLT ATTENDANTS AND SAID WE COULD MAKE AN HR FLT WITHOUT AND LEFT IT UP TO THEM. THEY SAID THEY COULD MAKE DO. TEMP WAS ABOVE FREEZING AND I MEANT TO KEEP ACFT IN A RELATIVELY WARM ENVIRONMENT BY FLYING A PARABOLIC WITH FL200 TOPS. GOT IN LINE AND GOT OFF FAST. CALLED DISPATCH AND TOLD THEM OF MY INTENT AND THEY AGREED. WHEN I GOT TO KANSAS CITY, I INSPECTED SVC PANEL AND FOUND SVC PANEL OK WITH WATER DRIPPING FROM BELLY. ACFT WAS NEVER IN FREEZING CONDITION. I CALLED COMPANY AND BRIEFED TECHNICIAN. ACR Y FIXED THE PROB OVERNIGHT, WHICH WAS A LOOSE CONNECTION AT VALVE. TOOK ACFT OUT NEXT DAY ON TIME. I FEEL MY ACTIONS WERE SAFE, KNOWING I WAS TO KEEP ACFT IN WARM ENVIRONMENT. DID NOT CONSULT MEL WHICH STATES, 'NO WATER, OTHERS NEED TO CONCUR.' PAX WERE BRIEFED ENRTE AND HAPPY ON ARR WITH MY DECISION. TOTAL AIR TEMP 11 DEGS C AT MID FLT.

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.

A B727-200 flight crew and cabin team elects to take their aircraft from ord to mci without a potable water supply for coffee makers and lavatories since returning to the gate might entail a healthy delay at ord, il.