 |
37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
A medium large, low wing, turbofan transport was dispatched in non compliance with the aft ventral stairs rendered inoperative by capping the hydraulic actuator lines.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 471963 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200004 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | ground : parked ground : maintenance |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | maintenance : lead technician |
| Qualification | technician : powerplant technician : airframe |
| ASRS Report | 471963 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | maintenance : technician |
| Qualification | technician : airframe technician : powerplant |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : improper documentation maintenance problem : improper maintenance non adherence : published procedure |
| Independent Detector | other other : 969 |
| Consequence | other other |
| Factors | |
| Maintenance | contributing factor : schedule pressure performance deficiency : logbook entry performance deficiency : repair performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Aircraft Chart Or Publication Maintenance Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Maintenance Human Performance |
Narrative:
This aircraft arrived with a tail section dripping wet. After running all system, including engines with thrust reversers, it became apparent that it was not a large leak, but rather one much smaller, as the aircraft had lost 1 gallon of fluid in 3.5 hours of flying time. Continuing 1.5 hours into this delay, the only leak we found was coming from the ventral stairs actuator. MEL 52-62-01 deals with an inoperative ventral stairway, and was used because a replacement actuator was not available in ZZZ. All particulars were complied with, and additionally we capped the 2 hydraulic lines to this actuator. Although I felt this was necessary to use this MEL, it could have been a mistake, because the MEL does not consider this procedure. We do use similar procedures with other MEL's. One that comes to mind is used to deactivate autobrake modules on B737's. More consideration while MEL's are written could well address this issue!
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A MEDIUM LARGE, LOW WING, TURBOFAN TRANSPORT WAS DISPATCHED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH THE AFT VENTRAL STAIRS RENDERED INOP BY CAPPING THE HYD ACTUATOR LINES.
Narrative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
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.