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An airbus A320 pilot reports that maintenance has gotten into the habit of cycling circuit breakers and then signing off discrepancies as ok when the problem(south) are not really being addressed.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 778464 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200803 |
| Local Time Of Day | 0001 To 0600 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | A320 |
| 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 : 210 flight time total : 10200 flight time type : 2200 |
| ASRS Report | 778464 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | maintenance : technician |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | maintenance problem : improper maintenance maintenance problem : improper documentation other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | other |
| Factors | |
| Maintenance | contributing factor : briefing performance deficiency : fault isolation performance deficiency : logbook entry performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements performance deficiency : repair |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Aircraft Company Flight Crew Human Performance Maintenance Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Maintenance Human Performance |
Narrative:
Aircraft had at least 1 unsuccessful autoland with the most recent shown on 3 days prior. The description was that the aircraft landed 1/2 way between centerline and runway edge; bounced; and then had a firm nosewheel touchdown. The corrective action performed was to cycle circuit breakers then return the aircraft to CAT III status. When I received the aircraft; it was a flight to ZZZ with possible CAT ii or CAT III conditions for arrival. Based on the report from the last autoland; this did not seem like a prudent course of action. The aircraft should remain out of CAT III currency until a successful autoland in normal WX conditions is recorded. Maintenance has gotten in the habit of cycling system and then signing them off as ok when the problem really isn't addressed. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated pilots do; at times; recycle circuit breaker(south). This practice may appear to fix the problem; at least for a while; until the next fault shows up. Only problem is; when using this practice; many times; logbook write-ups are not made that would inform the oncoming flight crews of possible problems.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN AIRBUS A320 PILOT REPORTS THAT MAINT HAS GOTTEN INTO THE HABIT OF CYCLING CIRCUIT BREAKERS AND THEN SIGNING OFF DISCREPANCIES AS OK WHEN THE PROBLEM(S) ARE NOT REALLY BEING ADDRESSED.
Narrative: ACFT HAD AT LEAST 1 UNSUCCESSFUL AUTOLAND WITH THE MOST RECENT SHOWN ON 3 DAYS PRIOR. THE DESCRIPTION WAS THAT THE ACFT LANDED 1/2 WAY BTWN CTRLINE AND RWY EDGE; BOUNCED; AND THEN HAD A FIRM NOSEWHEEL TOUCHDOWN. THE CORRECTIVE ACTION PERFORMED WAS TO CYCLE CIRCUIT BREAKERS THEN RETURN THE ACFT TO CAT III STATUS. WHEN I RECEIVED THE ACFT; IT WAS A FLT TO ZZZ WITH POSSIBLE CAT II OR CAT III CONDITIONS FOR ARR. BASED ON THE RPT FROM THE LAST AUTOLAND; THIS DID NOT SEEM LIKE A PRUDENT COURSE OF ACTION. THE ACFT SHOULD REMAIN OUT OF CAT III CURRENCY UNTIL A SUCCESSFUL AUTOLAND IN NORMAL WX CONDITIONS IS RECORDED. MAINT HAS GOTTEN IN THE HABIT OF CYCLING SYS AND THEN SIGNING THEM OFF AS OK WHEN THE PROB REALLY ISN'T ADDRESSED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: REPORTER STATED PILOTS DO; AT TIMES; RECYCLE CIRCUIT BREAKER(S). THIS PRACTICE MAY APPEAR TO FIX THE PROBLEM; AT LEAST FOR A WHILE; UNTIL THE NEXT FAULT SHOWS UP. ONLY PROBLEM IS; WHEN USING THIS PRACTICE; MANY TIMES; LOGBOOK WRITE-UPS ARE NOT MADE THAT WOULD INFORM THE ONCOMING FLIGHT CREWS OF POSSIBLE PROBLEMS.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.