Narrative:

We landed on runway 33L in ZZZ. Due to the short runway length we tried to open the thrust reversers for added braking. We received no indication on the EICAS for reverser movement nor did we receive any abnormal EICAS indications that the thrust reversers were inoperative. After parking and deplaning, we called maintenance control in ZZZ1 and told them the problem. We tried some things with maintenance control to no avail. Contract maintenance was called and was going to MEL both reversers, so we could ferry the aircraft to ZZZ2. Upon going through the MEL procedure the mechanic from abcd FBO in ZZZ noticed that the icu units in the tail cone were already in the inhibit position preventing the thrust reversers from even trying to open. Who knows how long they were inoperative given our current procedures for using the reversers. Maintenance de-inhibited both reversers and after a quick check of their operation to confirm they worked, we departure for ZZZ3. Good thing we didn't find this out during an emergency aborted takeoff or landing. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the crew had no idea the reversers were hydraulically locked out and were not operative. The reporter said no placards were present and the logbook did not indicate any deferred item work on reversers and no open reverser reports. The reporter stated the company operations manual for reverser operation states thrust reversers are not used if the landing runway is greater than XXXX ft. The reporter said this landing was on a shorter runway and thrust reversers were needed but unavailable.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN EMBRAER 135 ON LNDG COULD NOT DEPLOY THRUST REVERSERS. CONTRACT MAINT FOUND REVERSER ISOLATION CTL VALVES IN LOCKOUT POSITION.

Narrative: WE LANDED ON RWY 33L IN ZZZ. DUE TO THE SHORT RWY LENGTH WE TRIED TO OPEN THE THRUST REVERSERS FOR ADDED BRAKING. WE RECEIVED NO INDICATION ON THE EICAS FOR REVERSER MOVEMENT NOR DID WE RECEIVE ANY ABNORMAL EICAS INDICATIONS THAT THE THRUST REVERSERS WERE INOP. AFTER PARKING AND DEPLANING, WE CALLED MAINT CTL IN ZZZ1 AND TOLD THEM THE PROB. WE TRIED SOME THINGS WITH MAINT CTL TO NO AVAIL. CONTRACT MAINT WAS CALLED AND WAS GOING TO MEL BOTH REVERSERS, SO WE COULD FERRY THE ACFT TO ZZZ2. UPON GOING THROUGH THE MEL PROC THE MECHANIC FROM ABCD FBO IN ZZZ NOTICED THAT THE ICU UNITS IN THE TAIL CONE WERE ALREADY IN THE INHIBIT POSITION PREVENTING THE THRUST REVERSERS FROM EVEN TRYING TO OPEN. WHO KNOWS HOW LONG THEY WERE INOPERATIVE GIVEN OUR CURRENT PROCS FOR USING THE REVERSERS. MAINT DE-INHIBITED BOTH REVERSERS AND AFTER A QUICK CHECK OF THEIR OP TO CONFIRM THEY WORKED, WE DEP FOR ZZZ3. GOOD THING WE DIDN'T FIND THIS OUT DURING AN EMER ABORTED TKOF OR LNDG. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE CREW HAD NO IDEA THE REVERSERS WERE HYDRAULICALLY LOCKED OUT AND WERE NOT OPERATIVE. THE RPTR SAID NO PLACARDS WERE PRESENT AND THE LOGBOOK DID NOT INDICATE ANY DEFERRED ITEM WORK ON REVERSERS AND NO OPEN REVERSER REPORTS. THE RPTR STATED THE COMPANY OPS MANUAL FOR REVERSER OP STATES THRUST REVERSERS ARE NOT USED IF THE LNDG RWY IS GREATER THAN XXXX FT. THE RPTR SAID THIS LNDG WAS ON A SHORTER RWY AND THRUST REVERSERS WERE NEEDED BUT UNAVAILABLE.

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.