Narrative:

During the through flight; previously documented damage to ice protection and acoustic lining of right engine appeared to have increased in size since last flight. Additional pieces of ice protection lining appeared to be loose. An FAA airworthiness inspector who was conducting a route check concurred and became involved in the process of determining whether I thought the aircraft was airworthy. After speaking with maintenance technician; I determined that there was enough uncertainty to delay the flight; and subsequently the flight was canceled after speaking with dispatch. Had I flown the aircraft in its current condition; the FAA inspector stated that he would have removed himself; along with another FAA inspector who was traveling as a passenger; from the flight and possible FAA follow-up action may have occurred. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the acoustical panel damage had increased in size and changed shape and it didn't look like it could make another 15 hours; the deferred item limit. Any documentation sent by maintenance control indicated the damage was beyond limits. Having an FAA structures safety inspector present to inspect the liner and give his opinion made the decision to refuse the flight easy. The airplane was removed from service and a maintenance ferry flight was made the next day. Callback conversation with reporter acn 673471 revealed the following information: ground inspection of the right engine acoustical panel revealed further damage and had increased in this 1 flight. The reporter stated photos were sent to maintenance control for evaluation and documentation returned by maintenance control supported the captain's belief the damage was out of limits. The airplane was refused and maintenance ferried the next day.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B757-200 WITH A 50 HR DEFERRED ITEM ON THE R ENG ACOUSTIC LINING. ON INSPECTION ON GND; THE LINING WAS FOUND TO HAVE CHANGED SHAPE; WAS PEELING AND STICKING UP IN AIR FLOW.

Narrative: DURING THE THROUGH FLT; PREVIOUSLY DOCUMENTED DAMAGE TO ICE PROTECTION AND ACOUSTIC LINING OF R ENG APPEARED TO HAVE INCREASED IN SIZE SINCE LAST FLT. ADDITIONAL PIECES OF ICE PROTECTION LINING APPEARED TO BE LOOSE. AN FAA AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTOR WHO WAS CONDUCTING A RTE CHK CONCURRED AND BECAME INVOLVED IN THE PROCESS OF DETERMINING WHETHER I THOUGHT THE ACFT WAS AIRWORTHY. AFTER SPEAKING WITH MAINT TECHNICIAN; I DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS ENOUGH UNCERTAINTY TO DELAY THE FLT; AND SUBSEQUENTLY THE FLT WAS CANCELED AFTER SPEAKING WITH DISPATCH. HAD I FLOWN THE ACFT IN ITS CURRENT CONDITION; THE FAA INSPECTOR STATED THAT HE WOULD HAVE REMOVED HIMSELF; ALONG WITH ANOTHER FAA INSPECTOR WHO WAS TRAVELING AS A PAX; FROM THE FLT AND POSSIBLE FAA FOLLOW-UP ACTION MAY HAVE OCCURRED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE ACOUSTICAL PANEL DAMAGE HAD INCREASED IN SIZE AND CHANGED SHAPE AND IT DIDN'T LOOK LIKE IT COULD MAKE ANOTHER 15 HRS; THE DEFERRED ITEM LIMIT. ANY DOCUMENTATION SENT BY MAINT CTL INDICATED THE DAMAGE WAS BEYOND LIMITS. HAVING AN FAA STRUCTURES SAFETY INSPECTOR PRESENT TO INSPECT THE LINER AND GIVE HIS OPINION MADE THE DECISION TO REFUSE THE FLT EASY. THE AIRPLANE WAS REMOVED FROM SVC AND A MAINT FERRY FLT WAS MADE THE NEXT DAY. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR ACN 673471 REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: GND INSPECTION OF THE R ENG ACOUSTICAL PANEL REVEALED FURTHER DAMAGE AND HAD INCREASED IN THIS 1 FLT. THE RPTR STATED PHOTOS WERE SENT TO MAINT CTL FOR EVALUATION AND DOCUMENTATION RETURNED BY MAINT CTL SUPPORTED THE CAPT'S BELIEF THE DAMAGE WAS OUT OF LIMITS. THE AIRPLANE WAS REFUSED AND MAINT FERRIED THE NEXT DAY.

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.