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A B737-800 was dispatched in non compliance with the APU deferred as inoperative by flight crew but dispatcher not advised.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 541861 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200203 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : iad.airport |
| State Reference | DC |
| Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737-800 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | ground : pushback |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 1300 |
| ASRS Report | 541861 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe maintenance problem : non compliance with mel non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance Chart Or Publication Aircraft |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
During pushback, flight attendant reported a 'banging noise' from aft cargo or APU area. Crew set brakes and called ground crew to check aft cargo bin -- all ok. We then got company maintenance personnel to look at aircraft exterior and APU area -- all ok, so we did not return to gate. All cockpit instruments normal, but we suspected APU might have bleed air or possible compressor stall, even though all indications were normal. We shut down APU as precaution after normal engine start and then installed flight crew placard with logbook entry. Flight to destination uneventful, but company maintenance felt we were 'not legal' to defer the APU since we did not get dispatcher approval before takeoff, per our maintenance dispatch manual. We made good faith decision to go, since our indications were normal and just wanted maintenance to check the APU at next stop as a precaution. Next time we will take delay to make sure no one can accuse us after the fact.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A B737-800 WAS DISPATCHED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH THE APU DEFERRED AS INOP BY FLC BUT DISPATCHER NOT ADVISED.
Narrative: DURING PUSHBACK, FLT ATTENDANT RPTED A 'BANGING NOISE' FROM AFT CARGO OR APU AREA. CREW SET BRAKES AND CALLED GND CREW TO CHK AFT CARGO BIN -- ALL OK. WE THEN GOT COMPANY MAINT PERSONNEL TO LOOK AT ACFT EXTERIOR AND APU AREA -- ALL OK, SO WE DID NOT RETURN TO GATE. ALL COCKPIT INSTS NORMAL, BUT WE SUSPECTED APU MIGHT HAVE BLEED AIR OR POSSIBLE COMPRESSOR STALL, EVEN THOUGH ALL INDICATIONS WERE NORMAL. WE SHUT DOWN APU AS PRECAUTION AFTER NORMAL ENG START AND THEN INSTALLED FLC PLACARD WITH LOGBOOK ENTRY. FLT TO DEST UNEVENTFUL, BUT COMPANY MAINT FELT WE WERE 'NOT LEGAL' TO DEFER THE APU SINCE WE DID NOT GET DISPATCHER APPROVAL BEFORE TKOF, PER OUR MAINT DISPATCH MANUAL. WE MADE GOOD FAITH DECISION TO GO, SINCE OUR INDICATIONS WERE NORMAL AND JUST WANTED MAINT TO CHK THE APU AT NEXT STOP AS A PRECAUTION. NEXT TIME WE WILL TAKE DELAY TO MAKE SURE NO ONE CAN ACCUSE US AFTER THE FACT.
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.