Air carrier captain discovers required maintenance inspection for deferral was not accomplished. Mai...

Attributes
ACN	758916
Time
Date	200710
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 22000 flight time type : 12000
ASRS Report	758916
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 4450 flight time type : 1600
ASRS Report	758918
Events
Anomaly	maintenance problem : improper maintenance maintenance problem : improper documentation maintenance problem : non compliance with mel non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	other other
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : schedule pressure performance deficiency : inspection performance deficiency : logbook entry performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements performance deficiency : testing
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

After going through the logbook I noticed that a deferral for flaps 1/2 speed message had the wrong date on it. It was recorded on the oct/xx/07 log page; but had oct/xx/07 as date it was deferred. I called maintenance control and they had me change the date to oct/xy/07. After that conversation I checked the MEL for anything that I needed to do to comply. I saw there was a large amount of testing that had to be done for this item. There was no note in the logbook that this had been done. So I called maintenance control and was told that it was done as part the deferral. I told the controller that a pilot had done the deferral; not maintenance. I then said I was not comfortable with that and thought we should do it because it needed to be done in a 24 hour time frame and we were coming up on that time. The controller then told me that it was my job to get the flight out and not waste time. I told him that I was not going to go until we did the procedure. He then started through the task. Approximately 1/2 way through the task his supervisor got on the radio and told me to stop because it had been done on the oct/xy/07; and to quit making this flight late. He assured me that it had been done. We departed for ZZZ and in ZZZ I called the chief pilot; who was the pilot who did the deferral and was told that he did not do the procedure; just the paperwork with the maintenance controller. I then called maintenance control again; and was told again that they were correct; it had been done. I told them about talking to the chief pilot. Then and only then did they agree to do the procedure for deferral. This is a classic example of maintenance control pushing pilots to get flts out on time and not taking the time to further research issues such as this. Also; chief pilot should have known better as he is supposed to have a very good knowledge of our operating procedures. If he does not know how to do a basic maintenance deferral; perhaps more training is needed; as he is supposed to show knowledge and leadership as a chief pilot.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR CAPTAIN DISCOVERS REQUIRED MAINT INSPECTION FOR DEFERRAL WAS NOT ACCOMPLISHED. MAINT SUPERVISOR ATTEMPTS TO HAVE FLT DEPART WITHOUT INSPECTION.

Narrative: AFTER GOING THROUGH THE LOGBOOK I NOTICED THAT A DEFERRAL FOR FLAPS 1/2 SPD MESSAGE HAD THE WRONG DATE ON IT. IT WAS RECORDED ON THE OCT/XX/07 LOG PAGE; BUT HAD OCT/XX/07 AS DATE IT WAS DEFERRED. I CALLED MAINT CTL AND THEY HAD ME CHANGE THE DATE TO OCT/XY/07. AFTER THAT CONVERSATION I CHKED THE MEL FOR ANYTHING THAT I NEEDED TO DO TO COMPLY. I SAW THERE WAS A LARGE AMOUNT OF TESTING THAT HAD TO BE DONE FOR THIS ITEM. THERE WAS NO NOTE IN THE LOGBOOK THAT THIS HAD BEEN DONE. SO I CALLED MAINT CTL AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS DONE AS PART THE DEFERRAL. I TOLD THE CTLR THAT A PLT HAD DONE THE DEFERRAL; NOT MAINT. I THEN SAID I WAS NOT COMFORTABLE WITH THAT AND THOUGHT WE SHOULD DO IT BECAUSE IT NEEDED TO BE DONE IN A 24 HR TIME FRAME AND WE WERE COMING UP ON THAT TIME. THE CTLR THEN TOLD ME THAT IT WAS MY JOB TO GET THE FLT OUT AND NOT WASTE TIME. I TOLD HIM THAT I WAS NOT GOING TO GO UNTIL WE DID THE PROC. HE THEN STARTED THROUGH THE TASK. APPROX 1/2 WAY THROUGH THE TASK HIS SUPVR GOT ON THE RADIO AND TOLD ME TO STOP BECAUSE IT HAD BEEN DONE ON THE OCT/XY/07; AND TO QUIT MAKING THIS FLT LATE. HE ASSURED ME THAT IT HAD BEEN DONE. WE DEPARTED FOR ZZZ AND IN ZZZ I CALLED THE CHIEF PLT; WHO WAS THE PLT WHO DID THE DEFERRAL AND WAS TOLD THAT HE DID NOT DO THE PROC; JUST THE PAPERWORK WITH THE MAINT CTLR. I THEN CALLED MAINT CTL AGAIN; AND WAS TOLD AGAIN THAT THEY WERE CORRECT; IT HAD BEEN DONE. I TOLD THEM ABOUT TALKING TO THE CHIEF PLT. THEN AND ONLY THEN DID THEY AGREE TO DO THE PROC FOR DEFERRAL. THIS IS A CLASSIC EXAMPLE OF MAINT CTL PUSHING PLTS TO GET FLTS OUT ON TIME AND NOT TAKING THE TIME TO FURTHER RESEARCH ISSUES SUCH AS THIS. ALSO; CHIEF PLT SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER AS HE IS SUPPOSED TO HAVE A VERY GOOD KNOWLEDGE OF OUR OPERATING PROCS. IF HE DOES NOT KNOW HOW TO DO A BASIC MAINT DEFERRAL; PERHAPS MORE TRAINING IS NEEDED; AS HE IS SUPPOSED TO SHOW KNOWLEDGE AND LEADERSHIP AS A CHIEF PLT.

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.

Air carrier captain discovers required maintenance inspection for deferral was not accomplished. Maintenance supervisor attempts to have flight depart without inspection.