B767 crew was asked to do a xbleed engine start in non compliance with the MEL that deactivated the ...

Attributes
ACN	572896
Time
Date	200301
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B767 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : parked ground : maintenance
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	572896
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe maintenance problem : improper maintenance maintenance problem : non compliance with mel maintenance problem : improper documentation non adherence : company policies non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	other other
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : schedule pressure performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements performance deficiency : repair performance deficiency : logbook entry
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Company Maintenance Human Performance
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

Met by flight manager upon check-in at ZZZ operations, inquiring if I had any problems doing a xbleed start due to APU pneumatics problem. I had no problem, nor any information about the problem on the maintenance release, just an 'APU bleed valve' notation on the flight plan forecast. Did not have time to pull it up due to location of operations and need to get to aircraft for an on-time. Met at aircraft by maintenance supervisor again asking if I had a problem with xbleed start. Upon further review of the MEL placard, however, I realized that they had deferred the bleed valve closed. Yet the mechanics wanted me to use APU air to start #2 then xbleed start #1, a violation of the deferral. So I called for a ground start. They had wanted to avoid that to save bucks and a delay. Upon doing my flow, I noticed maintenance was using APU air to air condition the aircraft, and had not complied with the deferral maintenance procedure. They explained that there was nothing wrong with the APU, just that a valve wouldn't open to allow #1 to start when using APU air, xbleeds were ok. I told them I was unable to start either engine with the APU pneumatics according to the current deferral. I felt pressure to comply with their wishes, and felt angry about their complete indifference to the deferral procedure. We ground started #1 and xbled #2. Upon arrival sfo, the first officer had been queried about 'my problem.'

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B767 CREW WAS ASKED TO DO A XBLEED ENG START IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH THE MEL THAT DEACTIVATED THE PNEUMATIC XFEED VALVE CLOSED.

Narrative: MET BY FLT MGR UPON CHK-IN AT ZZZ OPS, INQUIRING IF I HAD ANY PROBS DOING A XBLEED START DUE TO APU PNEUMATICS PROB. I HAD NO PROB, NOR ANY INFO ABOUT THE PROB ON THE MAINT RELEASE, JUST AN 'APU BLEED VALVE' NOTATION ON THE FLT PLAN FORECAST. DID NOT HAVE TIME TO PULL IT UP DUE TO LOCATION OF OPS AND NEED TO GET TO ACFT FOR AN ON-TIME. MET AT ACFT BY MAINT SUPVR AGAIN ASKING IF I HAD A PROB WITH XBLEED START. UPON FURTHER REVIEW OF THE MEL PLACARD, HOWEVER, I REALIZED THAT THEY HAD DEFERRED THE BLEED VALVE CLOSED. YET THE MECHS WANTED ME TO USE APU AIR TO START #2 THEN XBLEED START #1, A VIOLATION OF THE DEFERRAL. SO I CALLED FOR A GND START. THEY HAD WANTED TO AVOID THAT TO SAVE BUCKS AND A DELAY. UPON DOING MY FLOW, I NOTICED MAINT WAS USING APU AIR TO AIR CONDITION THE ACFT, AND HAD NOT COMPLIED WITH THE DEFERRAL MAINT PROC. THEY EXPLAINED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE APU, JUST THAT A VALVE WOULDN'T OPEN TO ALLOW #1 TO START WHEN USING APU AIR, XBLEEDS WERE OK. I TOLD THEM I WAS UNABLE TO START EITHER ENG WITH THE APU PNEUMATICS ACCORDING TO THE CURRENT DEFERRAL. I FELT PRESSURE TO COMPLY WITH THEIR WISHES, AND FELT ANGRY ABOUT THEIR COMPLETE INDIFFERENCE TO THE DEFERRAL PROC. WE GND STARTED #1 AND XBLED #2. UPON ARR SFO, THE FO HAD BEEN QUERIED ABOUT 'MY PROB.'

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.

B767 crew was asked to do a xbleed engine start in non compliance with the MEL that deactivated the pneumatic xfeed valve closed.