Narrative:

Upon showing up to the gate for flight we were informed that the airplane was going OTS; the logbook was clean; so there was no explanation. I called maintenance control they had no information. Finally a mechanic boards the airplane and tells me the stabilizer trim was out of calibration. This did not make a lot of sense; but we picked up our stuff and went to the new airplane. Later a supervisor met me on the new airplane to explain. It seemed this airplane underwent the stabilizer trim jackscrew inspection and was out of tolerance. The crew made a mistake on the paperwork and authority/authorized the aircraft for flight. When I asked the supervisor what would have happened if we went flying; he said they would have sent me a message requesting me to make an emergency lng at the nearest suitable airport. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated the aircraft had failed a stabilizer trim jackscrew inspection. Yet somehow; the paperwork had been signed-off and the aircraft released for service and brought to the departure gate. Reporter also added that even though this mistake in paperwork sign-off was caught in time; he feels there is an underlying current in maintenance to just get the plane out. Troubleshooting procedures are deficient; at best. Deferring and placarding maintenance items; even if the cause of the discrepancy is not clear; are the plan of the day.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD-80 PILOT REPORTS OF SHOWING UP AT THE GATE; ONLY TO FIND OUT HIS OUTBOUND ACFT WAS SUDDENLY REMOVED FROM SERVICE. ACFT HAD EARLIER FAILED THE HORIZ STAB JACKSCREW INSPECTION; BUT WAS RELEASED FOR SERVICE.

Narrative: UPON SHOWING UP TO THE GATE FOR FLT WE WERE INFORMED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS GOING OTS; THE LOGBOOK WAS CLEAN; SO THERE WAS NO EXPLANATION. I CALLED MAINT CTL THEY HAD NO INFO. FINALLY A MECH BOARDS THE AIRPLANE AND TELLS ME THE STABILIZER TRIM WAS OUT OF CALIBRATION. THIS DID NOT MAKE A LOT OF SENSE; BUT WE PICKED UP OUR STUFF AND WENT TO THE NEW AIRPLANE. LATER A SUPVR MET ME ON THE NEW AIRPLANE TO EXPLAIN. IT SEEMED THIS AIRPLANE UNDERWENT THE STABILIZER TRIM JACKSCREW INSPECTION AND WAS OUT OF TOLERANCE. THE CREW MADE A MISTAKE ON THE PAPERWORK AND AUTH THE ACFT FOR FLT. WHEN I ASKED THE SUPVR WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF WE WENT FLYING; HE SAID THEY WOULD HAVE SENT ME A MESSAGE REQUESTING ME TO MAKE AN EMER LNG AT THE NEAREST SUITABLE ARPT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: REPORTER STATED THE ACFT HAD FAILED A STAB TRIM JACKSCREW INSPECTION. YET SOMEHOW; THE PAPERWORK HAD BEEN SIGNED-OFF AND THE ACFT RELEASED FOR SERVICE AND BROUGHT TO THE DEPARTURE GATE. REPORTER ALSO ADDED THAT EVEN THOUGH THIS MISTAKE IN PAPERWORK SIGN-OFF WAS CAUGHT IN TIME; HE FEELS THERE IS AN UNDERLYING CURRENT IN MAINT TO JUST GET THE PLANE OUT. TROUBLESHOOTING PROCEDURES ARE DEFICIENT; AT BEST. DEFERRING AND PLACARDING MAINT ITEMS; EVEN IF THE CAUSE OF THE DISCREPANCY IS NOT CLEAR; ARE THE PLAN OF THE DAY.

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.