A DC8 was dispatched from an airport at which the carrier had contracted for ground services. Engine...

Attributes
ACN	684442
Time
Date	200601
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-8 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : pushback
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 15 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	684442
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : improper documentation maintenance problem : improper maintenance non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : schedule pressure performance deficiency : unqualified personnel
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Company
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

First order of business ZZZ was calling for the ILS runway 23 in use. According to company policy we do not carry the ILS to runway 23 in our charts. Why? As we were coordinating to use runway 5; the WX did clear and we were able to get into runway 23 visually. After arrival at ZZZ; I was advised that no maintenance was available for start and push by mr X (support) but he said that he was qualified to do it. I have not been to ZZZ for at least 2 yrs and the last time I was there; they had contract maintenance available for the start and push. Up until this night I have never started a DC8 without a mechanic on headset. Here is the sequence of events as I remember them: I asked mr X if maintenance was available. He said 'no;' but he is qualified to start push airplanes. I said great but my aom states 'mechanic' in the start-up procedures. I asked; 'do you have a document or reference that the FAA approves you (a non mechanic) to do the start procedures?' he said 'no' but he went through training. So I asked for a ride in to call the chief pilot. He said we do it all the time with contract maintenance. I asked if he had the reference or document that the FAA approves this procedure. To paraphrase; he said not on him but he would get it for me. I said 'great. I don't want to hold the flight up. Just have it for me when I get to ZZZ1.' he said ok. On the car ride back to the aircraft; I asked mr X again if he knows how to do the start and push back. 'If you disconnect power; you will shut us down.' I said 'lights are out; cleared to remove stairs; ready for air.' he said 'removing stairs.' I waited for him to say 'cleared to start' but he never did; so I said 'brakes are set' then asked 'are we cleared to start #3?' he said 'roger' (proper aom phraseology is 'cleared to start'). Again I asked; 'are we cleared to start #3?' this time he said; 'are you cleared to start #3?

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DC8 WAS DISPATCHED FROM AN ARPT AT WHICH THE CARRIER HAD CONTRACTED FOR GND SVCS. ENG START AND PUSHBACK WERE NOT ACCOMPLISHED PER ACFT OPERATING MANUAL. UNSAFE AND DANGEROUS EVENT.

Narrative: FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS ZZZ WAS CALLING FOR THE ILS RWY 23 IN USE. ACCORDING TO COMPANY POLICY WE DO NOT CARRY THE ILS TO RWY 23 IN OUR CHARTS. WHY? AS WE WERE COORDINATING TO USE RWY 5; THE WX DID CLR AND WE WERE ABLE TO GET INTO RWY 23 VISUALLY. AFTER ARR AT ZZZ; I WAS ADVISED THAT NO MAINT WAS AVAILABLE FOR START AND PUSH BY MR X (SUPPORT) BUT HE SAID THAT HE WAS QUALIFIED TO DO IT. I HAVE NOT BEEN TO ZZZ FOR AT LEAST 2 YRS AND THE LAST TIME I WAS THERE; THEY HAD CONTRACT MAINT AVAILABLE FOR THE START AND PUSH. UP UNTIL THIS NIGHT I HAVE NEVER STARTED A DC8 WITHOUT A MECH ON HEADSET. HERE IS THE SEQUENCE OF EVENTS AS I REMEMBER THEM: I ASKED MR X IF MAINT WAS AVAILABLE. HE SAID 'NO;' BUT HE IS QUALIFIED TO START PUSH AIRPLANES. I SAID GREAT BUT MY AOM STATES 'MECH' IN THE START-UP PROCS. I ASKED; 'DO YOU HAVE A DOCUMENT OR REF THAT THE FAA APPROVES YOU (A NON MECH) TO DO THE START PROCS?' HE SAID 'NO' BUT HE WENT THROUGH TRAINING. SO I ASKED FOR A RIDE IN TO CALL THE CHIEF PLT. HE SAID WE DO IT ALL THE TIME WITH CONTRACT MAINT. I ASKED IF HE HAD THE REF OR DOCUMENT THAT THE FAA APPROVES THIS PROC. TO PARAPHRASE; HE SAID NOT ON HIM BUT HE WOULD GET IT FOR ME. I SAID 'GREAT. I DON'T WANT TO HOLD THE FLT UP. JUST HAVE IT FOR ME WHEN I GET TO ZZZ1.' HE SAID OK. ON THE CAR RIDE BACK TO THE ACFT; I ASKED MR X AGAIN IF HE KNOWS HOW TO DO THE START AND PUSH BACK. 'IF YOU DISCONNECT PWR; YOU WILL SHUT US DOWN.' I SAID 'LIGHTS ARE OUT; CLRED TO REMOVE STAIRS; READY FOR AIR.' HE SAID 'REMOVING STAIRS.' I WAITED FOR HIM TO SAY 'CLRED TO START' BUT HE NEVER DID; SO I SAID 'BRAKES ARE SET' THEN ASKED 'ARE WE CLRED TO START #3?' HE SAID 'ROGER' (PROPER AOM PHRASEOLOGY IS 'CLRED TO START'). AGAIN I ASKED; 'ARE WE CLRED TO START #3?' THIS TIME HE SAID; 'ARE YOU CLRED TO START #3?

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.

A DC8 was dispatched from an airport at which the carrier had contracted for ground services. Engine start and pushback were not accomplished per aircraft operating manual. Unsafe and dangerous event.