A B767 crew, #2 for departure at lax could not extinguish a status message, returned to gate.

Attributes
ACN	515123
Time
Date	200106
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lax.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B767 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time total : 20100 flight time type : 542
ASRS Report	515123
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : status message other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Maintenance Human Performance
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

On taxi out from the gate to runway 24L at lax we had a status message that said 'primary engine continue.' when we contacted maintenance we were asked to return to the gate. We asked why and were told so that they could check it out. However, we had the same message earlier in the month and were able to defer it as long as there were no other problems. We pressed maintenance, but were then asked to shut down and restart the engine to see if it would clear. We did so, and it did not clear. Also upon restarting, we had no EPR indication of the primary engine instruments. When we arrived back at the gate we found that the reason maintenance wanted us to return to the gate was that someone had heard a noise emanate from our aircraft upon taxi out. At the gate the mechanic said that some ramp people heard some noises from us while parked at the gate. We never were able to find out exactly when the noises were heard. However, I cannot help but wonder when someone, anyone, was going to call us about the noises heard. The only reason we had any contact with the company was because we had the status message. We were #2 for departure when we got out of line to resolve the problem. So when were we going to be told about the noise? Was it to be after takeoff, at cruise, after landing, or what?

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B767 CREW, #2 FOR DEP AT LAX COULD NOT EXTINGUISH A STATUS MESSAGE, RETURNED TO GATE.

Narrative: ON TAXI OUT FROM THE GATE TO RWY 24L AT LAX WE HAD A STATUS MESSAGE THAT SAID 'PRIMARY ENG CONTINUE.' WHEN WE CONTACTED MAINT WE WERE ASKED TO RETURN TO THE GATE. WE ASKED WHY AND WERE TOLD SO THAT THEY COULD CHK IT OUT. HOWEVER, WE HAD THE SAME MESSAGE EARLIER IN THE MONTH AND WERE ABLE TO DEFER IT AS LONG AS THERE WERE NO OTHER PROBS. WE PRESSED MAINT, BUT WERE THEN ASKED TO SHUT DOWN AND RESTART THE ENG TO SEE IF IT WOULD CLR. WE DID SO, AND IT DID NOT CLR. ALSO UPON RESTARTING, WE HAD NO EPR INDICATION OF THE PRIMARY ENG INSTS. WHEN WE ARRIVED BACK AT THE GATE WE FOUND THAT THE REASON MAINT WANTED US TO RETURN TO THE GATE WAS THAT SOMEONE HAD HEARD A NOISE EMANATE FROM OUR ACFT UPON TAXI OUT. AT THE GATE THE MECH SAID THAT SOME RAMP PEOPLE HEARD SOME NOISES FROM US WHILE PARKED AT THE GATE. WE NEVER WERE ABLE TO FIND OUT EXACTLY WHEN THE NOISES WERE HEARD. HOWEVER, I CANNOT HELP BUT WONDER WHEN SOMEONE, ANYONE, WAS GOING TO CALL US ABOUT THE NOISES HEARD. THE ONLY REASON WE HAD ANY CONTACT WITH THE COMPANY WAS BECAUSE WE HAD THE STATUS MESSAGE. WE WERE #2 FOR DEP WHEN WE GOT OUT OF LINE TO RESOLVE THE PROB. SO WHEN WERE WE GOING TO BE TOLD ABOUT THE NOISE? WAS IT TO BE AFTER TKOF, AT CRUISE, AFTER LNDG, OR WHAT?

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.