Narrative:

Aircraft; a B777; was to take us with the potable water system OTS since it failed the epa's water test which if I am not mistaken was a voluntary submission. Upon arrival at the aircraft; I immediately encountered much resistance from the flight attendants as you could imagine. The MEL calls for capping all water lines to the lavatory sinks and galleys. On the B777; potable water is required to flush the toilets. The flight attendant's concerns; valid in my eyes; were not being able to serve coffee to the passenger and the sanitary conditions with no water to wash hands with. The MEL addresses the second concern by requiring package hand wipes in the lavatories. The MEL also requires extra bottles of water be taken for drinking water. Only 6 gallons were loaded on board. Also; this plane had the musty smell reminiscent of the B727 packs when the bags needed changing. A mechanic on board prior to boarding said he had smelled the same smell in the B777 and it was oil leaking into the pack system from the APU. After a conversation with dispatch about changing planes; the dispatcher said the only way would happen is if I turned down the plane. I told him turn it down. Now the pressure/sales pitch begins with the company. Within the next 30 mins; I was connected or received calls from no less than 5 different people: the equipment manager at dispatch; the manager of dispatch; the mod of maintenance; ramp tower and several calls from one of the chief pilots. The calls from the chief pilot were not to support my decision; but to sell me on taking this airplane since there were no other B777's available and dispatch will just cancel this full flight causing company to lose $125;000 in revenue. I had my doubts that would happen and they were confirmed later. In the meantime; maintenance placarded the APU for air use which cleared up the smell in the cabin. External air was hooked up to aircraft. It would only cool the cabin to the high 80's or low 90's. External air on the B777 has never been able to cool a cabin to the extent the APU can. So; I spoke with the flight attendants and told them it looked as if we'd lose the trip if we didn't take it. I said if they weren't comfortable with going; they could remove themselves. All but 1 said they'd go and in the end all 11 decided to take the flight. I called the chief back as requested and said it looked if we'd be taking the aircraft. Next; I made another call to dispatch; speaking with the new dispatcher on duty for our flight. He immediately questioned why we'd taken the plane with the potable water inoperative. More discussion resulted in a joint decision not to take the aircraft. Next thing I knew; I was talking again with the new on-duty equipment manager who was blasting the dispatcher for agreeing not to take this plane. At that point; I told him I felt as if I was buying a car and dealing with the sales staff. He said there was no other plane and I questioned why couldn't we take the inbound from ZZZ1 which had just arrived. I spoke with one of the first officer's who brought the plane in and he said that plane had no write-ups that would cause a problem. No; the equipment manager said; that won't work either; something about a check on some system. Another call from the chief wondering if we were on the way to the jet. So; again; off we go to the gate to take the original aircraft. I was the first flight deck crew member to arrive at the plane. The crew chief met me on the jetbridge and asked me to come down on the ramp so he could show me something. There was water leaking out of some panels on the aft belly. Not being sure if this was a bad thing; I sent the 'F/B' down to check it out. He said it wasn't normal and we called a mechanic for a further opinion. He determined there was a water line broken that couldn't be fixed at the gate. Next thing I know; this plane was OTS. Since I had been told there were no other planes available by all of these other departments; including the chief pilot; I assumed we were dead and would see the trip canceled. I was wrong. Now; suddenly; the inbound plane from ZZZ1 now at the hangar; would be making its way back to a gate; and we would take it. Now; we were beginning to run into a duty time issue. It was after XA00 when the plane made it to the gate; maybe as late as XA25. With all the stress up to this point; I had lost track of exact time. I do remember thinking that we had about 1 hour 30 mins to brake release before going illegal at XB50. Catering and freight loading came quickly. Cabin servicing from the fleet service clerks was slower. Only a few showed up at first; and eventually I counted as many as 7 cleaning up the cabin from inbound ZZZ1. It took at least 45 mins to ready the cabin and maybe longer. There were about 8 open items in the logbook; mostly passenger seat problems and an automatic spoiler light problem. I called maintenance regarding those items. They came out and began to clear the book. The spoiler item required them getting into the east&east compartment to run some checks along with checks in the cockpit. The F/B at some point asked whether the ETOPS inspection was being conducted and was told they were getting to it. I thought I saw an ETOPS inspection enter into the logbook. Probably my mind was playing tricks on me with the stress from earlier and now the stress of blocking out before going illegal. Also; the spoiler problem involved mechanics working in the cockpit which also led me to believe the ETOPS check was underway. Passenger services got the plane boarded in record time. The door closed 7 mins before we would go illegal. I thought we'd beaten the odds and were actually going to ZZZZ. We pushed back from the gate and before the tug was disconnected; were told to return. The ETOPS had not been entered into the logbook and actually had not been performed. Murphy got his way with us today. All layers of protection were penetrated by old murph! Now; we were illegal once we returned to the gate. We were sent home and another crew called out to take the flight to ZZZ1. Lessons learned from this: no one; including this chief pilot (I hope the others aren't like him); other than the dispatcher is on the captain's side when refusing an airplane if the MEL says it can go. Stress can causer one to overlook items that normally are obvious and important. Passenger comfort is no longer a consideration at our company. Will I get suckered into another situation like this? Hopefully not. But when everyone is pressuring me or another captain to do something such as the above; and I know this has happened before to other capts; it likely will happen again as the stress level increases.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B777 CREW PUSHED BACK FROM THE GATE ON AN INTL FLT WITHOUT ETOPS INSPECTION PAPERWORK. THEY RETURNED TO THE GATE BUT WERE OVER DUTY TIME LIMITS AND WERE REPLACED.

Narrative: ACFT; A B777; WAS TO TAKE US WITH THE POTABLE WATER SYS OTS SINCE IT FAILED THE EPA'S WATER TEST WHICH IF I AM NOT MISTAKEN WAS A VOLUNTARY SUBMISSION. UPON ARR AT THE ACFT; I IMMEDIATELY ENCOUNTERED MUCH RESISTANCE FROM THE FLT ATTENDANTS AS YOU COULD IMAGINE. THE MEL CALLS FOR CAPPING ALL WATER LINES TO THE LAVATORY SINKS AND GALLEYS. ON THE B777; POTABLE WATER IS REQUIRED TO FLUSH THE TOILETS. THE FLT ATTENDANT'S CONCERNS; VALID IN MY EYES; WERE NOT BEING ABLE TO SERVE COFFEE TO THE PAX AND THE SANITARY CONDITIONS WITH NO WATER TO WASH HANDS WITH. THE MEL ADDRESSES THE SECOND CONCERN BY REQUIRING PACKAGE HAND WIPES IN THE LAVATORIES. THE MEL ALSO REQUIRES EXTRA BOTTLES OF WATER BE TAKEN FOR DRINKING WATER. ONLY 6 GALLONS WERE LOADED ON BOARD. ALSO; THIS PLANE HAD THE MUSTY SMELL REMINISCENT OF THE B727 PACKS WHEN THE BAGS NEEDED CHANGING. A MECH ON BOARD PRIOR TO BOARDING SAID HE HAD SMELLED THE SAME SMELL IN THE B777 AND IT WAS OIL LEAKING INTO THE PACK SYS FROM THE APU. AFTER A CONVERSATION WITH DISPATCH ABOUT CHANGING PLANES; THE DISPATCHER SAID THE ONLY WAY WOULD HAPPEN IS IF I TURNED DOWN THE PLANE. I TOLD HIM TURN IT DOWN. NOW THE PRESSURE/SALES PITCH BEGINS WITH THE COMPANY. WITHIN THE NEXT 30 MINS; I WAS CONNECTED OR RECEIVED CALLS FROM NO LESS THAN 5 DIFFERENT PEOPLE: THE EQUIP MGR AT DISPATCH; THE MGR OF DISPATCH; THE MOD OF MAINT; RAMP TWR AND SEVERAL CALLS FROM ONE OF THE CHIEF PLTS. THE CALLS FROM THE CHIEF PLT WERE NOT TO SUPPORT MY DECISION; BUT TO SELL ME ON TAKING THIS AIRPLANE SINCE THERE WERE NO OTHER B777'S AVAILABLE AND DISPATCH WILL JUST CANCEL THIS FULL FLT CAUSING COMPANY TO LOSE $125;000 IN REVENUE. I HAD MY DOUBTS THAT WOULD HAPPEN AND THEY WERE CONFIRMED LATER. IN THE MEANTIME; MAINT PLACARDED THE APU FOR AIR USE WHICH CLRED UP THE SMELL IN THE CABIN. EXTERNAL AIR WAS HOOKED UP TO ACFT. IT WOULD ONLY COOL THE CABIN TO THE HIGH 80'S OR LOW 90'S. EXTERNAL AIR ON THE B777 HAS NEVER BEEN ABLE TO COOL A CABIN TO THE EXTENT THE APU CAN. SO; I SPOKE WITH THE FLT ATTENDANTS AND TOLD THEM IT LOOKED AS IF WE'D LOSE THE TRIP IF WE DIDN'T TAKE IT. I SAID IF THEY WEREN'T COMFORTABLE WITH GOING; THEY COULD REMOVE THEMSELVES. ALL BUT 1 SAID THEY'D GO AND IN THE END ALL 11 DECIDED TO TAKE THE FLT. I CALLED THE CHIEF BACK AS REQUESTED AND SAID IT LOOKED IF WE'D BE TAKING THE ACFT. NEXT; I MADE ANOTHER CALL TO DISPATCH; SPEAKING WITH THE NEW DISPATCHER ON DUTY FOR OUR FLT. HE IMMEDIATELY QUESTIONED WHY WE'D TAKEN THE PLANE WITH THE POTABLE WATER INOP. MORE DISCUSSION RESULTED IN A JOINT DECISION NOT TO TAKE THE ACFT. NEXT THING I KNEW; I WAS TALKING AGAIN WITH THE NEW ON-DUTY EQUIP MGR WHO WAS BLASTING THE DISPATCHER FOR AGREEING NOT TO TAKE THIS PLANE. AT THAT POINT; I TOLD HIM I FELT AS IF I WAS BUYING A CAR AND DEALING WITH THE SALES STAFF. HE SAID THERE WAS NO OTHER PLANE AND I QUESTIONED WHY COULDN'T WE TAKE THE INBOUND FROM ZZZ1 WHICH HAD JUST ARRIVED. I SPOKE WITH ONE OF THE FO'S WHO BROUGHT THE PLANE IN AND HE SAID THAT PLANE HAD NO WRITE-UPS THAT WOULD CAUSE A PROB. NO; THE EQUIP MGR SAID; THAT WON'T WORK EITHER; SOMETHING ABOUT A CHK ON SOME SYS. ANOTHER CALL FROM THE CHIEF WONDERING IF WE WERE ON THE WAY TO THE JET. SO; AGAIN; OFF WE GO TO THE GATE TO TAKE THE ORIGINAL ACFT. I WAS THE FIRST FLT DECK CREW MEMBER TO ARRIVE AT THE PLANE. THE CREW CHIEF MET ME ON THE JETBRIDGE AND ASKED ME TO COME DOWN ON THE RAMP SO HE COULD SHOW ME SOMETHING. THERE WAS WATER LEAKING OUT OF SOME PANELS ON THE AFT BELLY. NOT BEING SURE IF THIS WAS A BAD THING; I SENT THE 'F/B' DOWN TO CHK IT OUT. HE SAID IT WASN'T NORMAL AND WE CALLED A MECH FOR A FURTHER OPINION. HE DETERMINED THERE WAS A WATER LINE BROKEN THAT COULDN'T BE FIXED AT THE GATE. NEXT THING I KNOW; THIS PLANE WAS OTS. SINCE I HAD BEEN TOLD THERE WERE NO OTHER PLANES AVAILABLE BY ALL OF THESE OTHER DEPTS; INCLUDING THE CHIEF PLT; I ASSUMED WE WERE DEAD AND WOULD SEE THE TRIP CANCELED. I WAS WRONG. NOW; SUDDENLY; THE INBOUND PLANE FROM ZZZ1 NOW AT THE HANGAR; WOULD BE MAKING ITS WAY BACK TO A GATE; AND WE WOULD TAKE IT. NOW; WE WERE BEGINNING TO RUN INTO A DUTY TIME ISSUE. IT WAS AFTER XA00 WHEN THE PLANE MADE IT TO THE GATE; MAYBE AS LATE AS XA25. WITH ALL THE STRESS UP TO THIS POINT; I HAD LOST TRACK OF EXACT TIME. I DO REMEMBER THINKING THAT WE HAD ABOUT 1 HR 30 MINS TO BRAKE RELEASE BEFORE GOING ILLEGAL AT XB50. CATERING AND FREIGHT LOADING CAME QUICKLY. CABIN SVCING FROM THE FLEET SVC CLERKS WAS SLOWER. ONLY A FEW SHOWED UP AT FIRST; AND EVENTUALLY I COUNTED AS MANY AS 7 CLEANING UP THE CABIN FROM INBOUND ZZZ1. IT TOOK AT LEAST 45 MINS TO READY THE CABIN AND MAYBE LONGER. THERE WERE ABOUT 8 OPEN ITEMS IN THE LOGBOOK; MOSTLY PAX SEAT PROBS AND AN AUTO SPOILER LIGHT PROB. I CALLED MAINT REGARDING THOSE ITEMS. THEY CAME OUT AND BEGAN TO CLR THE BOOK. THE SPOILER ITEM REQUIRED THEM GETTING INTO THE E&E COMPARTMENT TO RUN SOME CHKS ALONG WITH CHKS IN THE COCKPIT. THE F/B AT SOME POINT ASKED WHETHER THE ETOPS INSPECTION WAS BEING CONDUCTED AND WAS TOLD THEY WERE GETTING TO IT. I THOUGHT I SAW AN ETOPS INSPECTION ENTER INTO THE LOGBOOK. PROBABLY MY MIND WAS PLAYING TRICKS ON ME WITH THE STRESS FROM EARLIER AND NOW THE STRESS OF BLOCKING OUT BEFORE GOING ILLEGAL. ALSO; THE SPOILER PROB INVOLVED MECHS WORKING IN THE COCKPIT WHICH ALSO LED ME TO BELIEVE THE ETOPS CHK WAS UNDERWAY. PAX SVCS GOT THE PLANE BOARDED IN RECORD TIME. THE DOOR CLOSED 7 MINS BEFORE WE WOULD GO ILLEGAL. I THOUGHT WE'D BEATEN THE ODDS AND WERE ACTUALLY GOING TO ZZZZ. WE PUSHED BACK FROM THE GATE AND BEFORE THE TUG WAS DISCONNECTED; WERE TOLD TO RETURN. THE ETOPS HAD NOT BEEN ENTERED INTO THE LOGBOOK AND ACTUALLY HAD NOT BEEN PERFORMED. MURPHY GOT HIS WAY WITH US TODAY. ALL LAYERS OF PROTECTION WERE PENETRATED BY OLD MURPH! NOW; WE WERE ILLEGAL ONCE WE RETURNED TO THE GATE. WE WERE SENT HOME AND ANOTHER CREW CALLED OUT TO TAKE THE FLT TO ZZZ1. LESSONS LEARNED FROM THIS: NO ONE; INCLUDING THIS CHIEF PLT (I HOPE THE OTHERS AREN'T LIKE HIM); OTHER THAN THE DISPATCHER IS ON THE CAPT'S SIDE WHEN REFUSING AN AIRPLANE IF THE MEL SAYS IT CAN GO. STRESS CAN CAUSER ONE TO OVERLOOK ITEMS THAT NORMALLY ARE OBVIOUS AND IMPORTANT. PAX COMFORT IS NO LONGER A CONSIDERATION AT OUR COMPANY. WILL I GET SUCKERED INTO ANOTHER SIT LIKE THIS? HOPEFULLY NOT. BUT WHEN EVERYONE IS PRESSURING ME OR ANOTHER CAPT TO DO SOMETHING SUCH AS THE ABOVE; AND I KNOW THIS HAS HAPPENED BEFORE TO OTHER CAPTS; IT LIKELY WILL HAPPEN AGAIN AS THE STRESS LEVEL INCREASES.

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.