A B757 was scheduled to be flown with a placard for the left engine being unreliable for ETOPS. The ...

Attributes
ACN	729222
Time
Date	200702
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
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
Flight Phase	ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	729222
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 maintenance problem : non compliance with mel non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	other other
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : engineering procedure contributing factor : manuals contributing factor : schedule pressure performance deficiency : logbook entry performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Maintenance Human Performance Environmental Factor Company Chart Or Publication
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance
Situations
Publication	MEL

Narrative:

The aircraft I was scheduled to fly; a B757; tail number XXX; had a placard for the left engine being unreliable for ETOPS. I called maintenance controller with my concerns if an engine is unreliable for ETOPS how is it ok for domestic operations? The tech was unable or unwilling to discuss what particular parameters of the engine that caused the unreliability. At that time computer entries revealed that the aircraft was to be scheduled for an engine change. How is it ok to schedule an aircraft to keep flying if an engine is unreliable? The only comment from the tech I was able to extract was that rb-211 engines are hard to find. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated that prior to the scheduled flight; he observed the left engine was placarded as unreliable. Reporter immediately contacted maintenance controller requesting further information on the left engine performance limitations. However no data and no further details were given other than this engine type was hard to find and the engine 'would be monitored.' in reviewing the log; the reporter noted this aircraft had recently flown overwater to a high altitude airport (9200 ft) with the 'unreliable' engine. The reporter expressed concern about the deferral procedures under the MEL allowing an 'unreliable' engine to be used for revenue flight.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B757 WAS SCHEDULED TO BE FLOWN WITH A PLACARD FOR THE L ENG BEING UNRELIABLE FOR ETOPS. THE CAPT RAISED THE QUESTIONS WITH MAINT CTL IF THE ENG IS UNRELIABLE FOR ETOPS; HOW IS IT OK FOR DOMESTIC OPS.

Narrative: THE ACFT I WAS SCHEDULED TO FLY; A B757; TAIL NUMBER XXX; HAD A PLACARD FOR THE L ENG BEING UNRELIABLE FOR ETOPS. I CALLED MAINT CTLR WITH MY CONCERNS IF AN ENG IS UNRELIABLE FOR ETOPS HOW IS IT OK FOR DOMESTIC OPS? THE TECH WAS UNABLE OR UNWILLING TO DISCUSS WHAT PARTICULAR PARAMETERS OF THE ENG THAT CAUSED THE UNRELIABILITY. AT THAT TIME COMPUTER ENTRIES REVEALED THAT THE ACFT WAS TO BE SCHEDULED FOR AN ENG CHANGE. HOW IS IT OK TO SCHEDULE AN ACFT TO KEEP FLYING IF AN ENG IS UNRELIABLE? THE ONLY COMMENT FROM THE TECH I WAS ABLE TO EXTRACT WAS THAT RB-211 ENGS ARE HARD TO FIND. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THAT PRIOR TO THE SCHEDULED FLT; HE OBSERVED THE L ENG WAS PLACARDED AS UNRELIABLE. RPTR IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED MAINT CTLR REQUESTING FURTHER INFORMATION ON THE L ENG PERFORMANCE LIMITATIONS. HOWEVER NO DATA AND NO FURTHER DETAILS WERE GIVEN OTHER THAN THIS ENG TYPE WAS HARD TO FIND AND THE ENG 'WOULD BE MONITORED.' IN REVIEWING THE LOG; THE RPTR NOTED THIS ACFT HAD RECENTLY FLOWN OVERWATER TO A HIGH ALT ARPT (9200 FT) WITH THE 'UNRELIABLE' ENG. THE RPTR EXPRESSED CONCERN ABOUT THE DEFERRAL PROCS UNDER THE MEL ALLOWING AN 'UNRELIABLE' ENG TO BE USED FOR REVENUE FLT.

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 was scheduled to be flown with a placard for the left engine being unreliable for ETOPS. The captain raised the questions with maintenance control if the engine is unreliable for ETOPS; how is it ok for domestic operations.