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An FAA inspector notified flight crew that the #1 engine was harder to turn than the #2 engine. Flight crew checked it out and determined it was operating normally.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 577754 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200303 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : oak.airport |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | ground : parked ground : pushback |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 600 |
| ASRS Report | 577754 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other other : 3 |
| Resolutory Action | other |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew other Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance Maintenance Human Performance FAA Aircraft Company Environmental Factor |
| Primary Problem | FAA |
Narrative:
As I arrived at gate area, gate agent informed me that FAA inspector wanted to speak with me. FAA inspector came to aircraft and said that he noted the #1 engine was harder to turn by hand than #2 engine. I informed him that flight control and our maintenance would be contacted and informed of the situation. After a lengthy discussion, maintenance and I decided there was nothing in aircraft history that indicated any problem. Also, we had brought this aircraft into the layover station the previous night and had not noted any problem with either engine. We decided to test run the engines at the gate. During start, we timed N1 and N2 and egt rise and time for engines to stabilize. All readings were the same. During this time the FAA man left and did not say anything to the crew. After another discussion with maintenance we felt there was nothing wrong with the engine and boarded all passenger and departed oak for atl. Engines performed normally during 4 hour flight. Upon arrival in atl, flight control informed us that a contract mechanic had shown up in oak and told our operations center that he had been called out by FAA and was instructed not to allow us to leave prior aircraft being repaired. Unfortunately, we had already departed!
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN FAA INSPECTOR NOTIFIED FLT CREW THAT THE #1 ENG WAS HARDER TO TURN THAN THE #2 ENG. FLT CREW CHKED IT OUT AND DETERMINED IT WAS OPERATING NORMALLY.
Narrative: AS I ARRIVED AT GATE AREA, GATE AGENT INFORMED ME THAT FAA INSPECTOR WANTED TO SPEAK WITH ME. FAA INSPECTOR CAME TO ACFT AND SAID THAT HE NOTED THE #1 ENG WAS HARDER TO TURN BY HAND THAN #2 ENG. I INFORMED HIM THAT FLT CTL AND OUR MAINT WOULD BE CONTACTED AND INFORMED OF THE SIT. AFTER A LENGTHY DISCUSSION, MAINT AND I DECIDED THERE WAS NOTHING IN ACFT HISTORY THAT INDICATED ANY PROB. ALSO, WE HAD BROUGHT THIS ACFT INTO THE LAYOVER STATION THE PREVIOUS NIGHT AND HAD NOT NOTED ANY PROB WITH EITHER ENG. WE DECIDED TO TEST RUN THE ENGS AT THE GATE. DURING START, WE TIMED N1 AND N2 AND EGT RISE AND TIME FOR ENGS TO STABILIZE. ALL READINGS WERE THE SAME. DURING THIS TIME THE FAA MAN LEFT AND DID NOT SAY ANYTHING TO THE CREW. AFTER ANOTHER DISCUSSION WITH MAINT WE FELT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE ENG AND BOARDED ALL PAX AND DEPARTED OAK FOR ATL. ENGS PERFORMED NORMALLY DURING 4 HR FLT. UPON ARR IN ATL, FLT CTL INFORMED US THAT A CONTRACT MECH HAD SHOWN UP IN OAK AND TOLD OUR OPS CTR THAT HE HAD BEEN CALLED OUT BY FAA AND WAS INSTRUCTED NOT TO ALLOW US TO LEAVE PRIOR ACFT BEING REPAIRED. UNFORTUNATELY, WE HAD ALREADY DEPARTED!
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.