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An airbus 319 first officer's footrest deferral is questioned by FAA safety inspector as to procedure used not in MEL manual.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 522405 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200108 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : ztl.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | A319 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | ground : maintenance |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | oversight : supervisor |
| Qualification | technician : powerplant technician : airframe |
| Experience | maintenance technician : 13 |
| ASRS Report | 522405 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | maintenance : technician |
| Qualification | technician : airframe technician : powerplant |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other other : person 3 |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | faa : investigated other |
| Factors | |
| Maintenance | contributing factor : schedule pressure contributing factor : non availability of parts performance deficiency : repair performance deficiency : logbook entry |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Chart Or Publication Maintenance Human Performance FAA Aircraft |
| Primary Problem | Chart Or Publication |
Narrative:
I am a maintenance controller stationed in ZZZ on duty aug/xa/01, XA30 hours. Upon getting a call from ZZZ mechanic regarding an inoperative first officer's footrest the mechanic stated that the FAA representative was questioning our procedure for securing footrest in up position using safety wire. The specifics of securing the footrest are not outlined in the MEL. But the MEL states that the footrest may be inoperative in the retracted position. I pointed the FAA to advisory circular 43-13, standard practices. The FAA representative was apprehensive about our method/approval documentation for securing procedure. I explained to the FAA that there are certain procedures that simply require common sense and, at best, consultation. I allowed the MEL to be applied and the footrest secured. The MEL perhaps should state method of securing footrest but again, it's a common sense issue.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN AIRBUS 319 FO'S FOOTREST DEFERRAL IS QUESTIONED BY FAA SAFETY INSPECTOR AS TO PROC USED NOT IN MEL MANUAL.
Narrative: I AM A MAINT CTLR STATIONED IN ZZZ ON DUTY AUG/XA/01, XA30 HRS. UPON GETTING A CALL FROM ZZZ MECH REGARDING AN INOP FO'S FOOTREST THE MECH STATED THAT THE FAA REPRESENTATIVE WAS QUESTIONING OUR PROC FOR SECURING FOOTREST IN UP POS USING SAFETY WIRE. THE SPECIFICS OF SECURING THE FOOTREST ARE NOT OUTLINED IN THE MEL. BUT THE MEL STATES THAT THE FOOTREST MAY BE INOP IN THE RETRACTED POS. I POINTED THE FAA TO ADVISORY CIRCULAR 43-13, STANDARD PRACTICES. THE FAA REPRESENTATIVE WAS APPREHENSIVE ABOUT OUR METHOD/APPROVAL DOCUMENTATION FOR SECURING PROC. I EXPLAINED TO THE FAA THAT THERE ARE CERTAIN PROCS THAT SIMPLY REQUIRE COMMON SENSE AND, AT BEST, CONSULTATION. I ALLOWED THE MEL TO BE APPLIED AND THE FOOTREST SECURED. THE MEL PERHAPS SHOULD STATE METHOD OF SECURING FOOTREST BUT AGAIN, IT'S A COMMON SENSE ISSUE.
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.