<< >> NASA ASRS Report 587155, July 2003

A B737-400 captain questions the deferral of the refueling valve position light system and believes the MEL does not mention the light.

Attributes
ACN	587155
Time
Date	200307
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-400
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : preflight ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	587155
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
ASRS Report	587156
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : person 3
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other other Other
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : non availability of parts performance deficiency : repair
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Maintenance Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance Chart Or Publication Aircraft
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

During refueling in ZZZ the refueler informed me that the #1 tank refueling valve light did not illuminate when the switch was placed to on/open to refuel. I went to the aircraft with him and he showed/demonstrated the problem. I pushed to test the light also to check the light and it did not illuminate/show. I removed the lens and discovered the light was missing. I wrote the light up as inoperative and called maintenance. Contract maintenance was called to fix the problem, but discovered that the light fixture also was not working properly, so the light was deferred. (Note: FAA inspector observed this maintenance procedure regarding the refueling switch light) MEL pressure fueling system may be inoperative provided alternate procedures are established and used for refueling. Note: coordinate procedures with person refueling.

Related reports:

• A B737-300 captain questions the deferral procedures used wh...
• An airbus 320 flight crew questions deferral of the first of...
• A captain questions maintenance control about their deferral...
• A first officer questions who is legally responsible for a d...
• An airbus 300 captain questions the MEL on single brake fail...

	Enter your search terms Submit search form
	Web www.37000feet.com

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-400 CAPT QUESTIONS THE DEFERRAL OF THE REFUELING VALVE POS LIGHT SYS AND BELIEVES THE MEL DOES NOT MENTION THE LIGHT.

Narrative: DURING REFUELING IN ZZZ THE REFUELER INFORMED ME THAT THE #1 TANK REFUELING VALVE LIGHT DID NOT ILLUMINATE WHEN THE SWITCH WAS PLACED TO ON/OPEN TO REFUEL. I WENT TO THE ACFT WITH HIM AND HE SHOWED/DEMONSTRATED THE PROB. I PUSHED TO TEST THE LIGHT ALSO TO CHK THE LIGHT AND IT DID NOT ILLUMINATE/SHOW. I REMOVED THE LENS AND DISCOVERED THE LIGHT WAS MISSING. I WROTE THE LIGHT UP AS INOP AND CALLED MAINT. CONTRACT MAINT WAS CALLED TO FIX THE PROB, BUT DISCOVERED THAT THE LIGHT FIXTURE ALSO WAS NOT WORKING PROPERLY, SO THE LIGHT WAS DEFERRED. (NOTE: FAA INSPECTOR OBSERVED THIS MAINT PROC REGARDING THE REFUELING SWITCH LIGHT) MEL PRESSURE FUELING SYS MAY BE INOP PROVIDED ALTERNATE PROCS ARE ESTABLISHED AND USED FOR REFUELING. NOTE: COORDINATE PROCS WITH PERSON REFUELING.

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.