An air carrier captain feels pressure to accept an aircraft in non compliance with a malfunctioning ...

Attributes
ACN	549009
Time
Date	200205
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dfw.airport
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	549009
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : non compliance with mel maintenance problem : improper maintenance non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

According to the MEL, the chime system cannot be placarded. On aircraft (B757) the chime system was placarded using MEL. There were 6 previous write-ups concerning uncommanded chimes. This is a system malfunction, but maintenance still puts this on placard. The inbound captain from my flight reported to me that the chime went off 4 times during his takeoff roll which signals an emergency from the flight attendants. Very distraction for this to happen during a critical phase of flight. In discussing this MEL item with local mechanics and their conversation with contract maintenance (maintenance control), I was told the decision was up to me. Now the onus was put on me. Keep the airline flying. Now it's the captain's fault if I refuse the aircraft. Another silent form of pilot pushing. Did I get the uncommanded chimes during critical phases of flight? Yes. Did I write up the chime system being inoperative? Yes. Would I do this (accept this aircraft) over again? No. This item had been on placard for 4 days. Finally, maintenance takes the time to check the hand sets for the problem. Inspected all flight attendant hand sets. Removed and replaced flight attendant door hand set for failing PA operations. During tests also removed and replaced per maintenance manual. Operations checked normal.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR CAPT FEELS PRESSURE TO ACCEPT AN ACFT IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH A MALFUNCTIONING INTERPHONE CHIME SYS WITH A MAINT DEFERRAL USING AN INCORRECT MEL ITEM.

Narrative: ACCORDING TO THE MEL, THE CHIME SYS CANNOT BE PLACARDED. ON ACFT (B757) THE CHIME SYS WAS PLACARDED USING MEL. THERE WERE 6 PREVIOUS WRITE-UPS CONCERNING UNCOMMANDED CHIMES. THIS IS A SYS MALFUNCTION, BUT MAINT STILL PUTS THIS ON PLACARD. THE INBOUND CAPT FROM MY FLT RPTED TO ME THAT THE CHIME WENT OFF 4 TIMES DURING HIS TKOF ROLL WHICH SIGNALS AN EMER FROM THE FLT ATTENDANTS. VERY DISTR FOR THIS TO HAPPEN DURING A CRITICAL PHASE OF FLT. IN DISCUSSING THIS MEL ITEM WITH LCL MECHS AND THEIR CONVERSATION WITH CONTRACT MAINT (MAINT CTL), I WAS TOLD THE DECISION WAS UP TO ME. NOW THE ONUS WAS PUT ON ME. KEEP THE AIRLINE FLYING. NOW IT'S THE CAPT'S FAULT IF I REFUSE THE ACFT. ANOTHER SILENT FORM OF PLT PUSHING. DID I GET THE UNCOMMANDED CHIMES DURING CRITICAL PHASES OF FLT? YES. DID I WRITE UP THE CHIME SYS BEING INOP? YES. WOULD I DO THIS (ACCEPT THIS ACFT) OVER AGAIN? NO. THIS ITEM HAD BEEN ON PLACARD FOR 4 DAYS. FINALLY, MAINT TAKES THE TIME TO CHK THE HAND SETS FOR THE PROB. INSPECTED ALL FLT ATTENDANT HAND SETS. REMOVED AND REPLACED FLT ATTENDANT DOOR HAND SET FOR FAILING PA OPS. DURING TESTS ALSO REMOVED AND REPLACED PER MAINT MANUAL. OPS CHKED NORMAL.

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.

An air carrier captain feels pressure to accept an aircraft in non compliance with a malfunctioning interphone chime system with a maintenance deferral using an incorrect MEL item.