 |
37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
An MD80 captain reports prior to departure aircraft was inspected by an FAA safety inspector who found garbage can flapper doors being held open with magnets.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 651665 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200503 |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : dfw.airport |
| State Reference | TX |
| Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | ground : parked |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| ASRS Report | 651665 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far |
| Independent Detector | other other : 3 |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | other other Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance Chart Or Publication Cabin Crew Human Performance Aircraft Maintenance Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
Narrative:
Upon arrival at the aircraft; I was met by a jumpseating FAA inspector. He informed me that the garbage can flappers on my aircraft had magnets installed for holding the flapper doors open. He said that these magnets are in violation of far 25.853; because the flapper doors are there for fire suppression and cannot be held open. I then wrote the door magnets up and had maintenance remove them from all galleys. We then continued to slc uneventfully. I suggest that we either get FAA approval to operate with the magnets installed; or remove them all as soon as possible. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the magnets have probably been holding the garbage can flapper doors open since douglas aircraft company built the airplane. From management feedback to the reporter; it appears the magnets are coming off.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN MD80 CAPT RPTS PRIOR TO DEP ACFT WAS INSPECTED BY AN FAA SAFETY INSPECTOR WHO FOUND GARBAGE CAN FLAPPER DOORS BEING HELD OPEN WITH MAGNETS.
Narrative: UPON ARR AT THE ACFT; I WAS MET BY A JUMPSEATING FAA INSPECTOR. HE INFORMED ME THAT THE GARBAGE CAN FLAPPERS ON MY ACFT HAD MAGNETS INSTALLED FOR HOLDING THE FLAPPER DOORS OPEN. HE SAID THAT THESE MAGNETS ARE IN VIOLATION OF FAR 25.853; BECAUSE THE FLAPPER DOORS ARE THERE FOR FIRE SUPPRESSION AND CANNOT BE HELD OPEN. I THEN WROTE THE DOOR MAGNETS UP AND HAD MAINT REMOVE THEM FROM ALL GALLEYS. WE THEN CONTINUED TO SLC UNEVENTFULLY. I SUGGEST THAT WE EITHER GET FAA APPROVAL TO OPERATE WITH THE MAGNETS INSTALLED; OR REMOVE THEM ALL ASAP. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE MAGNETS HAVE PROBABLY BEEN HOLDING THE GARBAGE CAN FLAPPER DOORS OPEN SINCE DOUGLAS ACFT COMPANY BUILT THE AIRPLANE. FROM MGMNT FEEDBACK TO THE RPTR; IT APPEARS THE MAGNETS ARE COMING OFF.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.