Narrative:

This report concerns unprofessional work by our maintenance department at ZZZ. This work may have compromised safety. The crew was delayed coming in by almost 3 hours. During the walkaround the first officer noted that nose gear strut was leaking fluid onto the inner strut. This was written up. Maintenance wiped the dirty grease residue and signed it off. The second write-up was for the left side outboard aft main landing gear. The tire pressure was reading 135 psi. Maintenance proceeded to inflate the tire to 190 psi. I questioned the mechanic and told him last time this happened; maintenance insisted on replacing both tires. I was told this was not required; since the tire gauge was inoperative. I informed him that my first officer had told me that the gauge was working fine. The mechanic proceeded to tell me that in their book they don't differentiate between inaccurate or inoperative gauge. I asked him how did he know that the gauge was inaccurate. His reply was that he glanced at the gauge while servicing the tire. I was not very convinced with his reply. I asked him to provide me with his section of the manual pertaining to this. Upon examining the section; it became very clear that I was being hoodwinked. The mechanic kept telling me he has 2 other aircraft he is working on and really is very short on time. He was going to tape the gauge and send me a maintenance release. I directly told him you are putting me and my passenger's safety in jeopardy; not to mention your license. He tried to assure me he would put his own family on board; although they were not on board. Since I am not a mechanic; I could not question him further. I made sure all this was recorded and reluctantly took the airplane. I was extra cautious and not a very comfortable captain. I almost wanted to refuse the airplane; but was unable; due to the fact that I am not a mechanic and could not technically challenge the mechanic's procedures. I am certain that the work was not performed correctly and was signed off prematurely.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B757-200 ACFT PILOT REPORTS CONCERNS FOR LACK OF PROPER MAINT BY HIS COMPANY'S MAINT PERSONNEL.

Narrative: THIS RPT CONCERNS UNPROFESSIONAL WORK BY OUR MAINT DEPT AT ZZZ. THIS WORK MAY HAVE COMPROMISED SAFETY. THE CREW WAS DELAYED COMING IN BY ALMOST 3 HRS. DURING THE WALKAROUND THE FO NOTED THAT NOSE GEAR STRUT WAS LEAKING FLUID ONTO THE INNER STRUT. THIS WAS WRITTEN UP. MAINT WIPED THE DIRTY GREASE RESIDUE AND SIGNED IT OFF. THE SECOND WRITE-UP WAS FOR THE L SIDE OUTBOARD AFT MAIN LNDG GEAR. THE TIRE PRESSURE WAS READING 135 PSI. MAINT PROCEEDED TO INFLATE THE TIRE TO 190 PSI. I QUESTIONED THE MECH AND TOLD HIM LAST TIME THIS HAPPENED; MAINT INSISTED ON REPLACING BOTH TIRES. I WAS TOLD THIS WAS NOT REQUIRED; SINCE THE TIRE GAUGE WAS INOP. I INFORMED HIM THAT MY FO HAD TOLD ME THAT THE GAUGE WAS WORKING FINE. THE MECH PROCEEDED TO TELL ME THAT IN THEIR BOOK THEY DON'T DIFFERENTIATE BTWN INACCURATE OR INOP GAUGE. I ASKED HIM HOW DID HE KNOW THAT THE GAUGE WAS INACCURATE. HIS REPLY WAS THAT HE GLANCED AT THE GAUGE WHILE SVCING THE TIRE. I WAS NOT VERY CONVINCED WITH HIS REPLY. I ASKED HIM TO PROVIDE ME WITH HIS SECTION OF THE MANUAL PERTAINING TO THIS. UPON EXAMINING THE SECTION; IT BECAME VERY CLR THAT I WAS BEING HOODWINKED. THE MECH KEPT TELLING ME HE HAS 2 OTHER ACFT HE IS WORKING ON AND REALLY IS VERY SHORT ON TIME. HE WAS GOING TO TAPE THE GAUGE AND SEND ME A MAINT RELEASE. I DIRECTLY TOLD HIM YOU ARE PUTTING ME AND MY PAX'S SAFETY IN JEOPARDY; NOT TO MENTION YOUR LICENSE. HE TRIED TO ASSURE ME HE WOULD PUT HIS OWN FAMILY ON BOARD; ALTHOUGH THEY WERE NOT ON BOARD. SINCE I AM NOT A MECH; I COULD NOT QUESTION HIM FURTHER. I MADE SURE ALL THIS WAS RECORDED AND RELUCTANTLY TOOK THE AIRPLANE. I WAS EXTRA CAUTIOUS AND NOT A VERY COMFORTABLE CAPT. I ALMOST WANTED TO REFUSE THE AIRPLANE; BUT WAS UNABLE; DUE TO THE FACT THAT I AM NOT A MECH AND COULD NOT TECHNICALLY CHALLENGE THE MECH'S PROCS. I AM CERTAIN THAT THE WORK WAS NOT PERFORMED CORRECTLY AND WAS SIGNED OFF PREMATURELY.

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.