A B757-225 aircraft flight crew noticed maintenance had backdated previous SELCAL squawks to satisfy...

Attributes
ACN	729105
Time
Date	200702
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	729105
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe maintenance problem : improper maintenance maintenance problem : improper documentation maintenance problem : non compliance with mel
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Factors
Maintenance	performance deficiency : logbook entry performance deficiency : training performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Maintenance Human Performance
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

I have a question on an MEL. In las we had an inoperative secal system. It was written up at least 4 times prior. After our write-up maintenance decided that it had been written up too many times to MEL (it had to be fixed this time) so they back dated the MEL. The way I understand it and the way it was written in the logbook; they reissued the MEL and gave it a date of a few days back (almost a week). By doing this we now had an MEL that was on the plane that flew with paperwork (release) without an MEL listed on it for over a week. If we are allowed to do this and there was a pilot or maintenance action required before a flight we have (just in my plane 6 days worth) an airplane flying around unairworthy. How can this be legal? How do we protect the crews that flew the plane without having the MEL listed on the release? How do we have an airworthy aircraft if the crew did not know they need to take action on the MEL's? How does the FAA allow this to happen (allow an airplane to fly around with a non-complied MEL)? This is just a few of the problems I see with this procedure of back dating MEL's. This does not include falsifying records.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B757-225 ACFT FLT CREW NOTICED MAINTENANCE HAD BACKDATED PREVIOUS SELCAL SQUAWKS TO SATISFY MEL RELEASE INDICATING THE ACFT HAD BEEN UN-AIRWORTHY.

Narrative: I HAVE A QUESTION ON AN MEL. IN LAS WE HAD AN INOP SECAL SYS. IT WAS WRITTEN UP AT LEAST 4 TIMES PRIOR. AFTER OUR WRITE-UP MAINT DECIDED THAT IT HAD BEEN WRITTEN UP TOO MANY TIMES TO MEL (IT HAD TO BE FIXED THIS TIME) SO THEY BACK DATED THE MEL. THE WAY I UNDERSTAND IT AND THE WAY IT WAS WRITTEN IN THE LOGBOOK; THEY REISSUED THE MEL AND GAVE IT A DATE OF A FEW DAYS BACK (ALMOST A WEEK). BY DOING THIS WE NOW HAD AN MEL THAT WAS ON THE PLANE THAT FLEW WITH PAPERWORK (RELEASE) WITHOUT AN MEL LISTED ON IT FOR OVER A WEEK. IF WE ARE ALLOWED TO DO THIS AND THERE WAS A PLT OR MAINT ACTION REQUIRED BEFORE A FLT WE HAVE (JUST IN MY PLANE 6 DAYS WORTH) AN AIRPLANE FLYING AROUND UNAIRWORTHY. HOW CAN THIS BE LEGAL? HOW DO WE PROTECT THE CREWS THAT FLEW THE PLANE WITHOUT HAVING THE MEL LISTED ON THE RELEASE? HOW DO WE HAVE AN AIRWORTHY ACFT IF THE CREW DID NOT KNOW THEY NEED TO TAKE ACTION ON THE MEL'S? HOW DOES THE FAA ALLOW THIS TO HAPPEN (ALLOW AN AIRPLANE TO FLY AROUND WITH A NON-COMPLIED MEL)? THIS IS JUST A FEW OF THE PROBS I SEE WITH THIS PROC OF BACK DATING MEL'S. THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE FALSIFYING RECORDS.

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 B757-225 aircraft flight crew noticed maintenance had backdated previous SELCAL squawks to satisfy MEL release indicating the aircraft had been un-airworthy.