Narrative:

During preflight; I noted what appeared to be an excessive amount of engine oil on the ramp beneath the #2 engine. I immediately notified the captain who then contacted maintenance and entered this into the logbook. A mechanic shows up and tells us that it is probably just normal leakage and that the aircraft has been sitting for several hours in that spot. The captain advises him that we would like to have it checked to make sure. During this time; the aircraft is nearing the completion of the boarding process. The mechanic advises the captain that it will be necessary to run the engine to check for a leak. We did not feel comfortable performing the maintenance engine run and advised him of such. He says he will get someone qualified to perform the engine run but that everyone will need to deplane. Customer service initiated the deplaning under the captain's request and as that process was almost complete; a maintenance supervisor comes into the cockpit to very aggressively state that they (mechanics) could have ran the engine with passenger aboard so long as 1 pilot stayed in the cockpit; looking over their shoulders. This browbeating was unnecessary and could lead to other crews performing an unsafe or illegal operation. This maintenance supervisor's message was in direct contrast with the statement in the fom which says; 'when passenger are on board; the normal complement of flight attendants is required and 'only' pilots may accomplish the engine start.'

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A MAINT SUPERVISOR ATTEMPTED TO CIRCUMVENT AN ACR PROCEDURE REQUIRING THAT PAX DEPLANE FOR A MAINT REQUIRED STATIC GATE ENG RUN AND OIL LEAK INSPECTION.

Narrative: DURING PREFLT; I NOTED WHAT APPEARED TO BE AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF ENG OIL ON THE RAMP BENEATH THE #2 ENG. I IMMEDIATELY NOTIFIED THE CAPT WHO THEN CONTACTED MAINT AND ENTERED THIS INTO THE LOGBOOK. A MECH SHOWS UP AND TELLS US THAT IT IS PROBABLY JUST NORMAL LEAKAGE AND THAT THE ACFT HAS BEEN SITTING FOR SEVERAL HRS IN THAT SPOT. THE CAPT ADVISES HIM THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE IT CHKED TO MAKE SURE. DURING THIS TIME; THE ACFT IS NEARING THE COMPLETION OF THE BOARDING PROCESS. THE MECH ADVISES THE CAPT THAT IT WILL BE NECESSARY TO RUN THE ENG TO CHK FOR A LEAK. WE DID NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE PERFORMING THE MAINT ENG RUN AND ADVISED HIM OF SUCH. HE SAYS HE WILL GET SOMEONE QUALIFIED TO PERFORM THE ENG RUN BUT THAT EVERYONE WILL NEED TO DEPLANE. CUSTOMER SVC INITIATED THE DEPLANING UNDER THE CAPT'S REQUEST AND AS THAT PROCESS WAS ALMOST COMPLETE; A MAINT SUPVR COMES INTO THE COCKPIT TO VERY AGGRESSIVELY STATE THAT THEY (MECHS) COULD HAVE RAN THE ENG WITH PAX ABOARD SO LONG AS 1 PLT STAYED IN THE COCKPIT; LOOKING OVER THEIR SHOULDERS. THIS BROWBEATING WAS UNNECESSARY AND COULD LEAD TO OTHER CREWS PERFORMING AN UNSAFE OR ILLEGAL OP. THIS MAINT SUPVR'S MESSAGE WAS IN DIRECT CONTRAST WITH THE STATEMENT IN THE FOM WHICH SAYS; 'WHEN PAX ARE ON BOARD; THE NORMAL COMPLEMENT OF FLT ATTENDANTS IS REQUIRED AND 'ONLY' PLTS MAY ACCOMPLISH THE ENG START.'

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.