Narrative:

Maintenance was received at gate, 'chiller' (food refrigerator unit) was inoperative in aft galley. We called this in to ramp/maintenance immediately. Mechanic was sent up to aircraft. I was told by flight attendant (around push time) it would be 'deferred.' as mechanic (another) got on headset, getting ready for pushback, I questioned if a new maintenance document was forthcoming. He stated 'no' due to no write-ups. I stated we called into maintenance the 'chiller inoperative.' by now, the jetway was pulled back from the aircraft, and ramp was stating we were blocking the gate space for an inbound aircraft. The first officer and I discussed it, and decided we would call this in to maintenance to have it properly done: 'deferred.' I called back to the flight attendant, who was working with maintenance on this, and I questioned the status of where the mechanic left this? She then told me maintenance said 'to write it up later, en route.' one causal factor: 1) flight attendants got to aircraft late (van was 45 mins late). 2) misuse of terminology: I told flight attendant 'deferred' means to properly defer, not 'put it off to later.'

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DEFECTIVE FOOD CHILLER IS NOT PROPERLY DEFERRED UNDER THE PRESSURE OF DEP SCHEDULE AND A MISUNDERSTANDING OF THE TERM BY CABIN CREW.

Narrative: MAINT WAS RECEIVED AT GATE, 'CHILLER' (FOOD REFRIGERATOR UNIT) WAS INOP IN AFT GALLEY. WE CALLED THIS IN TO RAMP/MAINT IMMEDIATELY. MECH WAS SENT UP TO ACFT. I WAS TOLD BY FLT ATTENDANT (AROUND PUSH TIME) IT WOULD BE 'DEFERRED.' AS MECH (ANOTHER) GOT ON HEADSET, GETTING READY FOR PUSHBACK, I QUESTIONED IF A NEW MAINT DOCUMENT WAS FORTHCOMING. HE STATED 'NO' DUE TO NO WRITE-UPS. I STATED WE CALLED INTO MAINT THE 'CHILLER INOP.' BY NOW, THE JETWAY WAS PULLED BACK FROM THE ACFT, AND RAMP WAS STATING WE WERE BLOCKING THE GATE SPACE FOR AN INBOUND ACFT. THE FO AND I DISCUSSED IT, AND DECIDED WE WOULD CALL THIS IN TO MAINT TO HAVE IT PROPERLY DONE: 'DEFERRED.' I CALLED BACK TO THE FLT ATTENDANT, WHO WAS WORKING WITH MAINT ON THIS, AND I QUESTIONED THE STATUS OF WHERE THE MECH LEFT THIS? SHE THEN TOLD ME MAINT SAID 'TO WRITE IT UP LATER, ENRTE.' ONE CAUSAL FACTOR: 1) FLT ATTENDANTS GOT TO ACFT LATE (VAN WAS 45 MINS LATE). 2) MISUSE OF TERMINOLOGY: I TOLD FLT ATTENDANT 'DEFERRED' MEANS TO PROPERLY DEFER, NOT 'PUT IT OFF TO LATER.'

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.