BA46 crew had maintenance defer aircraft pressure refueling system when the problem was with the fue...

Attributes
ACN	533954
Time
Date	200112
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mke.airport
State Reference	WI
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	BAe 146 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	other personnel other
Events
Anomaly	maintenance problem : non compliance with mel maintenance problem : improper documentation maintenance problem : improper maintenance non adherence : company policies non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : 2-3
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : schedule pressure performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements performance deficiency : inspection performance deficiency : testing performance deficiency : fault isolation
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company Maintenance Human Performance
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

The aircraft had a fueling problem in mke. The fueler was unable to fuel the aircraft. Maintenance control wanted them to try another truck, but the fueler was not very cooperative and maintenance control then said they could MEL the pressure refueling system and the fueler could overwing fuel the aircraft. This dispute went on for some time until the fueler brought over another fuel truck which worked just fine. At this point, I assumed that the pressure refueling system was not placed on MEL. I had not received final word from the maintenance controller that it was placed on MEL, and the captain of the flight did not call either to amend his release. It was not until 1/2 way through the flight that I found out the pressure refuel system had in fact been put on MEL. While preparing the release for the next flight, the MEL came up in our computer system and when that didn't match my MEL list, I checked with the maintenance controller to see if it had been added. He said that it had and that he had told me it was. Normally the maintenance controller will tell the dispatcher that an MEL is being added and follow that up with a hard copy MEL list, updated to show the aircraft with all current MEL's. Normally, the release would be amended either by verbal agreement between captain and dispatcher with the zulu time and dispatcher's initials, or a new hard copy will be sent. The fueler/maintenance controller conflict increased tension in the office which probably contributed to the problem. The maintenance controller had a number of other problems to deal with as well which probably accounted for lack of follow-up with the MEL list. I'm not sure why the captain did not contact me unless he was unaware of the additional MEL. I guess it would be possible for a mechanic to enter the MEL in the aircraft logbook while the flight crew was tending to other duties, such as getting the aircraft fueled.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BA46 CREW HAD MAINT DEFER ACFT PRESSURE REFUELING SYS WHEN THE PROB WAS WITH THE FUEL TRUCK.

Narrative: THE ACFT HAD A FUELING PROB IN MKE. THE FUELER WAS UNABLE TO FUEL THE ACFT. MAINT CTL WANTED THEM TO TRY ANOTHER TRUCK, BUT THE FUELER WAS NOT VERY COOPERATIVE AND MAINT CTL THEN SAID THEY COULD MEL THE PRESSURE REFUELING SYS AND THE FUELER COULD OVERWING FUEL THE ACFT. THIS DISPUTE WENT ON FOR SOME TIME UNTIL THE FUELER BROUGHT OVER ANOTHER FUEL TRUCK WHICH WORKED JUST FINE. AT THIS POINT, I ASSUMED THAT THE PRESSURE REFUELING SYS WAS NOT PLACED ON MEL. I HAD NOT RECEIVED FINAL WORD FROM THE MAINT CTLR THAT IT WAS PLACED ON MEL, AND THE CAPT OF THE FLT DID NOT CALL EITHER TO AMEND HIS RELEASE. IT WAS NOT UNTIL 1/2 WAY THROUGH THE FLT THAT I FOUND OUT THE PRESSURE REFUEL SYS HAD IN FACT BEEN PUT ON MEL. WHILE PREPARING THE RELEASE FOR THE NEXT FLT, THE MEL CAME UP IN OUR COMPUTER SYS AND WHEN THAT DIDN'T MATCH MY MEL LIST, I CHKED WITH THE MAINT CTLR TO SEE IF IT HAD BEEN ADDED. HE SAID THAT IT HAD AND THAT HE HAD TOLD ME IT WAS. NORMALLY THE MAINT CTLR WILL TELL THE DISPATCHER THAT AN MEL IS BEING ADDED AND FOLLOW THAT UP WITH A HARD COPY MEL LIST, UPDATED TO SHOW THE ACFT WITH ALL CURRENT MEL'S. NORMALLY, THE RELEASE WOULD BE AMENDED EITHER BY VERBAL AGREEMENT BTWN CAPT AND DISPATCHER WITH THE ZULU TIME AND DISPATCHER'S INITIALS, OR A NEW HARD COPY WILL BE SENT. THE FUELER/MAINT CTLR CONFLICT INCREASED TENSION IN THE OFFICE WHICH PROBABLY CONTRIBUTED TO THE PROB. THE MAINT CTLR HAD A NUMBER OF OTHER PROBS TO DEAL WITH AS WELL WHICH PROBABLY ACCOUNTED FOR LACK OF FOLLOW-UP WITH THE MEL LIST. I'M NOT SURE WHY THE CAPT DID NOT CONTACT ME UNLESS HE WAS UNAWARE OF THE ADDITIONAL MEL. I GUESS IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE FOR A MECH TO ENTER THE MEL IN THE ACFT LOGBOOK WHILE THE FLC WAS TENDING TO OTHER DUTIES, SUCH AS GETTING THE ACFT FUELED.

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.

BA46 crew had maintenance defer aircraft pressure refueling system when the problem was with the fuel truck.