<< >> NASA ASRS Report 684629, January 2006

A B737-400 first officer noted a nonstandard 'inoperative' placard located above the autothrottle switch. Maintenance noted no previous autothrottle history. Deferred autothrottles precautionary.

Attributes
ACN	684629
Time
Date	200601
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-400
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : preflight ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
ASRS Report	684629
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	oversight : coordinator
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe maintenance problem : improper documentation non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Chart Or Publication Maintenance Human Performance
Primary Problem	Chart Or Publication

Narrative:

While preparing for pushback on flight; I noticed a small sticker above the autothrottle switch. The sticker was not one air carrier uses. I reviewed both the logbook and release for aircraft X and could not find any reference to an 'MEL' for autothrottles. The only reference to autoflt was the replacement of the MCP on jan/fri/06. I spoke to maintenance control via cell phone and discussed the problem. Maintenance advised that the MCP was a borrowed part and should not have had that sticker. They also stated 'to be on the safe side we should MEL the autothrottles.' we then did a flight crew placard for inoperative autothrottles and continued our trip. We also placarded the aircraft for CAT III hgs only.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-400 FO NOTED A NONSTANDARD 'INOP' PLACARD LOCATED ABOVE THE AUTOTHROTTLE SWITCH. MAINT NOTED NO PREVIOUS AUTOTHROTTLE HISTORY. DEFERRED AUTOTHROTTLES PRECAUTIONARY.

Narrative: WHILE PREPARING FOR PUSHBACK ON FLT; I NOTICED A SMALL STICKER ABOVE THE AUTOTHROTTLE SWITCH. THE STICKER WAS NOT ONE ACR USES. I REVIEWED BOTH THE LOGBOOK AND RELEASE FOR ACFT X AND COULD NOT FIND ANY REF TO AN 'MEL' FOR AUTOTHROTTLES. THE ONLY REF TO AUTOFLT WAS THE REPLACEMENT OF THE MCP ON JAN/FRI/06. I SPOKE TO MAINT CTL VIA CELL PHONE AND DISCUSSED THE PROB. MAINT ADVISED THAT THE MCP WAS A BORROWED PART AND SHOULD NOT HAVE HAD THAT STICKER. THEY ALSO STATED 'TO BE ON THE SAFE SIDE WE SHOULD MEL THE AUTOTHROTTLES.' WE THEN DID A FLT CREW PLACARD FOR INOP AUTOTHROTTLES AND CONTINUED OUR TRIP. WE ALSO PLACARDED THE ACFT FOR CAT III HGS ONLY.

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.