EC135 helicopter operated when an exhaust heat shield was cracked.

Attributes
ACN	545081
Time
Date	200204
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 80
ASRS Report	545081
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot instruction : instructor
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : non compliance with mel maintenance problem : improper documentation non adherence : published procedure non adherence : company policies non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	faa : investigated other other
Factors
Maintenance	performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements performance deficiency : logbook entry
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Maintenance Human Performance Aircraft Company Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

During preflight for annual part 135 check with company check pilot and FAA observing, noticed crack on exhaust heat shield where it attached to exhaust. Aircraft was downed and discrepancy was written up. After talking to mechanic, he indicated that the part was on order and it had been cracked for several days. The part was not deferrable on MEL. I had flown the aircraft 3 days earlier and had not seen the cracked part. Mechanic had called company about problem but was not told it was non deferrable. This was mechanic's first assignment for part 135 operator. I estimate I flew the aircraft 3-4 times before finding it had a downing discrepancy. Supplemental information from acn 545082: although this was not a safety of flight issue, since the mechanic had not written the information in the logbook other pilots like myself overlooked the part on our preflight due to its inconspicuous location. As a result of this, I had flown the aircraft the day before in this condition. The mechanic was not aware of maintenance procedures for deferral of items not on MEL located in the company general operations manual.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EC135 HELI OPERATED WHEN AN EXHAUST HEAT SHIELD WAS CRACKED.

Narrative: DURING PREFLT FOR ANNUAL PART 135 CHK WITH COMPANY CHK PLT AND FAA OBSERVING, NOTICED CRACK ON EXHAUST HEAT SHIELD WHERE IT ATTACHED TO EXHAUST. ACFT WAS DOWNED AND DISCREPANCY WAS WRITTEN UP. AFTER TALKING TO MECH, HE INDICATED THAT THE PART WAS ON ORDER AND IT HAD BEEN CRACKED FOR SEVERAL DAYS. THE PART WAS NOT DEFERRABLE ON MEL. I HAD FLOWN THE ACFT 3 DAYS EARLIER AND HAD NOT SEEN THE CRACKED PART. MECH HAD CALLED COMPANY ABOUT PROB BUT WAS NOT TOLD IT WAS NON DEFERRABLE. THIS WAS MECH'S FIRST ASSIGNMENT FOR PART 135 OPERATOR. I ESTIMATE I FLEW THE ACFT 3-4 TIMES BEFORE FINDING IT HAD A DOWNING DISCREPANCY. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 545082: ALTHOUGH THIS WAS NOT A SAFETY OF FLT ISSUE, SINCE THE MECH HAD NOT WRITTEN THE INFO IN THE LOGBOOK OTHER PLTS LIKE MYSELF OVERLOOKED THE PART ON OUR PREFLT DUE TO ITS INCONSPICUOUS LOCATION. AS A RESULT OF THIS, I HAD FLOWN THE ACFT THE DAY BEFORE IN THIS CONDITION. THE MECH WAS NOT AWARE OF MAINT PROCS FOR DEFERRAL OF ITEMS NOT ON MEL LOCATED IN THE COMPANY GENERAL OPS MANUAL.

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.