A B767 was dispatched in non compliance with the aircraft unable to accept ground power and an APU operating while being placarded inoperative with no logbook entries.

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Attributes
ACN	483479
Time
Date	200008
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : xyz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B767 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : parked ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	483479
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe maintenance problem : non compliance with mel maintenance problem : improper maintenance maintenance problem : improper documentation non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other other
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : schedule pressure performance deficiency : testing performance deficiency : fault isolation performance deficiency : logbook entry performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements performance deficiency : repair
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Maintenance Human Performance Company Aircraft
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

We had an inoperative APU. We arrived at xyz. Had problems with getting ground power. Numerous gpu's were tried with little luck. One did take and lasted until we went to start. When we went to start the electric died. They could not get another gpu to work on our aircraft. I was talking to maintenance about battery life and a battery start, when maintenance walked by and stated the aircraft APU was up and running. I returned to the aircraft and we ran the checklist and started at the gate in case of another problem. After start the first officer noted the inoperative sticker was still on the APU. The logbook showed no corrective action so we used an inoperative system to start. I have many many questions about emergency battery life and how long it will take to recharge them. Why the APU was placarded at ZZZ, but xyz was able to start it and get it working, but did not fix the logbook. Why gate X at xyz has bad electric. Why after calling operations 20 mins prior to arrival and again on the ground telling them we had no APU. It's a surprise to the ground crew when we were sitting there running an engine waiting for power.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B767 WAS DISPATCHED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH THE ACFT UNABLE TO ACCEPT GND PWR AND AN APU OPERATING WHILE BEING PLACARDED INOP WITH NO LOGBOOK ENTRIES.

Narrative: WE HAD AN INOP APU. WE ARRIVED AT XYZ. HAD PROBS WITH GETTING GND PWR. NUMEROUS GPU'S WERE TRIED WITH LITTLE LUCK. ONE DID TAKE AND LASTED UNTIL WE WENT TO START. WHEN WE WENT TO START THE ELECTRIC DIED. THEY COULD NOT GET ANOTHER GPU TO WORK ON OUR ACFT. I WAS TALKING TO MAINT ABOUT BATTERY LIFE AND A BATTERY START, WHEN MAINT WALKED BY AND STATED THE ACFT APU WAS UP AND RUNNING. I RETURNED TO THE ACFT AND WE RAN THE CHKLIST AND STARTED AT THE GATE IN CASE OF ANOTHER PROB. AFTER START THE FO NOTED THE INOP STICKER WAS STILL ON THE APU. THE LOGBOOK SHOWED NO CORRECTIVE ACTION SO WE USED AN INOP SYS TO START. I HAVE MANY MANY QUESTIONS ABOUT EMER BATTERY LIFE AND HOW LONG IT WILL TAKE TO RECHARGE THEM. WHY THE APU WAS PLACARDED AT ZZZ, BUT XYZ WAS ABLE TO START IT AND GET IT WORKING, BUT DID NOT FIX THE LOGBOOK. WHY GATE X AT XYZ HAS BAD ELECTRIC. WHY AFTER CALLING OPS 20 MINS PRIOR TO ARR AND AGAIN ON THE GND TELLING THEM WE HAD NO APU. IT'S A SURPRISE TO THE GND CREW WHEN WE WERE SITTING THERE RUNNING AN ENG WAITING FOR PWR.

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.