An A319 crew was advised to lower the flaps due to a rubber seal missing on right wing fairing. Shor...

Attributes
ACN	715991
Time
Date	200611
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A319
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : parked ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	715991
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 : published procedure non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other other : 3
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	other other
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : schedule pressure performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements performance deficiency : repair
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Chart Or Publication Maintenance Human Performance Environmental Factor
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

We pulled a release verification at XA33 for an XB02 scheduled departure. A mechanic came up on the interphone and told us to drop the flaps due to a rubber seal missing on the r-hand wing #2 aft manual fairing inboard side. We did so after being told area was clear. At no time did maintenance tell us previous to this they were working or preparing to work on an item. At XB00 we were told by push crew; 'ready to push; mechanic has left; you can put up the flaps; we are ready to push.' we released the brakes for push and it occurred to me to rechk the release. It came up as the original release number and time from the XA33 request. We called maintenance to question what was going on. We were not told a new release would be needed even though it was obvious we did. At no time did we receive an 'expect new release' message to the cockpit printer. It appears the item was never opened to cancel the current release before maintenance action was taken. When the brakes were released we never received the 'replacement release required before taxi' message as is supposed to if an item is open. When we called maintenance we wanted to verify we were really cleared on the flaps as questioned what was going on. After 10 mins we called again. At that time we were told the situation was being looked at and that 'we've got control of you.' there were several failures in the way we do business. Maintenance never invalidated our release prior to working on the item and from our standpoint; never intended to as by what we were told by the push crew. We finally receive an open log item ACARS at XB12. This is a serious breach in procedure and could have led this crew to both taxiing and even taking off without the proper release after maintenance action was accomplished. We finally received a new release at XA13; rechked the release; which was now legal and departed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN A319 CREW WAS ADVISED TO LOWER THE FLAPS DUE TO A RUBBER SEAL MISSING ON R WING FAIRING. SHORTLY AFTER ADVISED READY TO PUSH. NO DETAILS OR NEW MAINT RELEASE ON FLAP WORK. FINALLY DEMANDING RELEASE FROM MAINT IT WAS SENT OVER ACARS.

Narrative: WE PULLED A RELEASE VERIFICATION AT XA33 FOR AN XB02 SCHEDULED DEP. A MECH CAME UP ON THE INTERPHONE AND TOLD US TO DROP THE FLAPS DUE TO A RUBBER SEAL MISSING ON THE R-HAND WING #2 AFT MANUAL FAIRING INBOARD SIDE. WE DID SO AFTER BEING TOLD AREA WAS CLR. AT NO TIME DID MAINT TELL US PREVIOUS TO THIS THEY WERE WORKING OR PREPARING TO WORK ON AN ITEM. AT XB00 WE WERE TOLD BY PUSH CREW; 'READY TO PUSH; MECH HAS LEFT; YOU CAN PUT UP THE FLAPS; WE ARE READY TO PUSH.' WE RELEASED THE BRAKES FOR PUSH AND IT OCCURRED TO ME TO RECHK THE RELEASE. IT CAME UP AS THE ORIGINAL RELEASE NUMBER AND TIME FROM THE XA33 REQUEST. WE CALLED MAINT TO QUESTION WHAT WAS GOING ON. WE WERE NOT TOLD A NEW RELEASE WOULD BE NEEDED EVEN THOUGH IT WAS OBVIOUS WE DID. AT NO TIME DID WE RECEIVE AN 'EXPECT NEW RELEASE' MESSAGE TO THE COCKPIT PRINTER. IT APPEARS THE ITEM WAS NEVER OPENED TO CANCEL THE CURRENT RELEASE BEFORE MAINT ACTION WAS TAKEN. WHEN THE BRAKES WERE RELEASED WE NEVER RECEIVED THE 'REPLACEMENT RELEASE REQUIRED BEFORE TAXI' MESSAGE AS IS SUPPOSED TO IF AN ITEM IS OPEN. WHEN WE CALLED MAINT WE WANTED TO VERIFY WE WERE REALLY CLRED ON THE FLAPS AS QUESTIONED WHAT WAS GOING ON. AFTER 10 MINS WE CALLED AGAIN. AT THAT TIME WE WERE TOLD THE SITUATION WAS BEING LOOKED AT AND THAT 'WE'VE GOT CTL OF YOU.' THERE WERE SEVERAL FAILURES IN THE WAY WE DO BUSINESS. MAINT NEVER INVALIDATED OUR RELEASE PRIOR TO WORKING ON THE ITEM AND FROM OUR STANDPOINT; NEVER INTENDED TO AS BY WHAT WE WERE TOLD BY THE PUSH CREW. WE FINALLY RECEIVE AN OPEN LOG ITEM ACARS AT XB12. THIS IS A SERIOUS BREACH IN PROC AND COULD HAVE LED THIS CREW TO BOTH TAXIING AND EVEN TAKING OFF WITHOUT THE PROPER RELEASE AFTER MAINT ACTION WAS ACCOMPLISHED. WE FINALLY RECEIVED A NEW RELEASE AT XA13; RECHKED THE RELEASE; WHICH WAS NOW LEGAL AND DEPARTED.

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.

An A319 crew was advised to lower the flaps due to a rubber seal missing on right wing fairing. Shortly after advised ready to push. No details or new maintenance release on flap work. Finally demanding release from maintenance it was sent over ACARS.