Narrative:

Our inbound aircraft had a maintenance item indicating the captain's altimeter background lighting was intermittent. New maintenance document stated maintenance had reset the canon plug and ground checks ok. After discussing the previous log history with the maintenance controller; I asked that they replace the altimeter as it is a critical flight instrument and it was dark. Verified part in stock and started the process. Later I was told by the mechanic that ZZZ did not have the part in stock; so I elected to accept the aircraft and see if it was actually working properly. Once again; during takeoff the altimeter lighting became inoperative. Advised maintenance to have a part flown into ZZZ overnight. He replied; ZZZ told you a whopper; they have 2 in stock. He assigned it to be fixed in ZZZ the following morning when we passed through with the aircraft. I do not know if maintenance did this intentionally; but as the captain of the flight and airplane; I expect to receive honest and accurate information. Unfortunately; this type of action; intentional or not; creates credibility issues for maintenance and lack of trust in our maintenance processes by our pilots. This is not the first time this has happened to me and I have noticed a trend in station maintenance controllers having a difficult time identing parts lately; which would suggest improved training or using maintenance control as a reference point. I believe it is essential in the name of safety; that first officer and maintenance having a positive working relationship!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-300 CAPTAIN REPORTS MAINT PROVIDED INACCURATE INFORMATION REGARDING AVAILABILITY OF REPLACEMENT ALTIMETER FOR ONE WRITTEN UP AS HAVING FAILED INTERNAL LIGHTING.

Narrative: OUR INBOUND ACFT HAD A MAINT ITEM INDICATING THE CAPT'S ALTIMETER BACKGROUND LIGHTING WAS INTERMITTENT. NEW MAINT DOCUMENT STATED MAINT HAD RESET THE CANON PLUG AND GND CHKS OK. AFTER DISCUSSING THE PREVIOUS LOG HISTORY WITH THE MAINT CTLR; I ASKED THAT THEY REPLACE THE ALTIMETER AS IT IS A CRITICAL FLT INST AND IT WAS DARK. VERIFIED PART IN STOCK AND STARTED THE PROCESS. LATER I WAS TOLD BY THE MECH THAT ZZZ DID NOT HAVE THE PART IN STOCK; SO I ELECTED TO ACCEPT THE ACFT AND SEE IF IT WAS ACTUALLY WORKING PROPERLY. ONCE AGAIN; DURING TKOF THE ALTIMETER LIGHTING BECAME INOP. ADVISED MAINT TO HAVE A PART FLOWN INTO ZZZ OVERNIGHT. HE REPLIED; ZZZ TOLD YOU A WHOPPER; THEY HAVE 2 IN STOCK. HE ASSIGNED IT TO BE FIXED IN ZZZ THE FOLLOWING MORNING WHEN WE PASSED THROUGH WITH THE ACFT. I DO NOT KNOW IF MAINT DID THIS INTENTIONALLY; BUT AS THE CAPT OF THE FLT AND AIRPLANE; I EXPECT TO RECEIVE HONEST AND ACCURATE INFO. UNFORTUNATELY; THIS TYPE OF ACTION; INTENTIONAL OR NOT; CREATES CREDIBILITY ISSUES FOR MAINT AND LACK OF TRUST IN OUR MAINT PROCESSES BY OUR PLTS. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME AND I HAVE NOTICED A TREND IN STATION MAINT CTLRS HAVING A DIFFICULT TIME IDENTING PARTS LATELY; WHICH WOULD SUGGEST IMPROVED TRAINING OR USING MAINT CTL AS A REF POINT. I BELIEVE IT IS ESSENTIAL IN THE NAME OF SAFETY; THAT FO AND MAINT HAVING A POSITIVE WORKING RELATIONSHIP!

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.