An air carrier safety inspector found loose fasteners on an air cycle machine access door and notifi...

Attributes
ACN	636697
Time
Date	200411
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sna.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A319
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : parked ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 135 flight time total : 8800 flight time type : 1100
ASRS Report	636697
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe
Independent Detector	other other : 3
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Air safety inspector checked in to fly with us around XA00 for an XA20 departure. His flight on air carrier 1 was canceled for mechanical reasons and he was trying to get to ZZZ where he works. About 5 mins after he showed us his credentials, he notified me of loose fasteners on the leading edge of the air cycle machine access panels near the wing roots. He asked if we had maintenance in sna and I said no. Then I asked him to show me the fasteners -- which he did. I was able to secure 1 fastener (on the forward right corner -- he said if it was not secured, it was a no-go item), 1 fastener was missing (slightly left of center, leading edge) and 1 fastener was loose (about 6 inches left of the missing fastener) and resisted my best efforts made with my car key. We conferred and he agreed with me that the airplane was still airworthy. We flew uneventfully to den. En route, I entered an operations engine note via ACARS to alert mechanics of the need to secure the fasteners. Should I have reported the loose fasteners prior to departure? Would the reported loose fasteners require a maintenance inspection, or is it likely that the fasteners would prove to be deferrable? I made a judgement call in consultation with the asi -- what else should I have done?

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR SAFETY INSPECTOR FOUND LOOSE FASTENERS ON AN AIR CYCLE MACHINE ACCESS DOOR AND NOTIFIED THE A319 CREW. 1 OF 3 FASTENERS WAS SECURED AND THE FLT DEPARTED WITH THE INSPECTOR ABOARD.

Narrative: AIR SAFETY INSPECTOR CHKED IN TO FLY WITH US AROUND XA00 FOR AN XA20 DEP. HIS FLT ON ACR 1 WAS CANCELED FOR MECHANICAL REASONS AND HE WAS TRYING TO GET TO ZZZ WHERE HE WORKS. ABOUT 5 MINS AFTER HE SHOWED US HIS CREDENTIALS, HE NOTIFIED ME OF LOOSE FASTENERS ON THE LEADING EDGE OF THE AIR CYCLE MACHINE ACCESS PANELS NEAR THE WING ROOTS. HE ASKED IF WE HAD MAINT IN SNA AND I SAID NO. THEN I ASKED HIM TO SHOW ME THE FASTENERS -- WHICH HE DID. I WAS ABLE TO SECURE 1 FASTENER (ON THE FORWARD R CORNER -- HE SAID IF IT WAS NOT SECURED, IT WAS A NO-GO ITEM), 1 FASTENER WAS MISSING (SLIGHTLY L OF CTR, LEADING EDGE) AND 1 FASTENER WAS LOOSE (ABOUT 6 INCHES L OF THE MISSING FASTENER) AND RESISTED MY BEST EFFORTS MADE WITH MY CAR KEY. WE CONFERRED AND HE AGREED WITH ME THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS STILL AIRWORTHY. WE FLEW UNEVENTFULLY TO DEN. ENRTE, I ENTERED AN OPS ENG NOTE VIA ACARS TO ALERT MECHS OF THE NEED TO SECURE THE FASTENERS. SHOULD I HAVE RPTED THE LOOSE FASTENERS PRIOR TO DEP? WOULD THE RPTED LOOSE FASTENERS REQUIRE A MAINT INSPECTION, OR IS IT LIKELY THAT THE FASTENERS WOULD PROVE TO BE DEFERRABLE? I MADE A JUDGEMENT CALL IN CONSULTATION WITH THE ASI -- WHAT ELSE SHOULD I HAVE DONE?

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 safety inspector found loose fasteners on an air cycle machine access door and notified the A319 crew. 1 of 3 fasteners was secured and the flight departed with the inspector aboard.