Pilot and mechanic report about a B757-200 that departed with a pitot static heat continuously on; w...

Attributes
ACN	799872
Time
Date	200808
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
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : zzz.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : maintenance
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	799872
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	maintenance : technician
ASRS Report	800131
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : improper maintenance non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : 2
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : briefing contributing factor : manuals performance deficiency : fault isolation performance deficiency : logbook entry performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements performance deficiency : testing
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Maintenance Human Performance Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

Parked at gate. Mechanics were working on pitot heat problem. Pitot heat stayed on the ground. After troubleshooting; resetting circuit breakers by mechanics; mechanics communicated with maintenance control; they gave ok for flight. Mechanic signs the item off. Ok for flight including ETOPS #1 check. Since pitot air ground logic stayed in air; pitot stayed hot; therefore good for flight. In the air; there was no EICAS message since pitot heat functioned normal for flight. Supplemental information from acn 800131: aircraft X was here at ZZZ with an open MEL. The MEL authority/authorized number was for an inoperative left auxiliary pitot heat light; probe heat works. During logbook review; there was a yellow placard with check before departure box checked. I was then sent to accomplish the MEL procedures manual. Passenger were on board. While looking at the overhead annunciator panel; I noticed the right auxiliary pitot heat amber light cap was pushed all the way in and light cap broke. I ordered the annunciator panel. Part was located at the hangar. It took a little while to get the part. Upon reviewing the MEL; no yellow placard was required. Left the white placard in place (logbook). I replaced the annunciator panel and made appropriate maintenance and balance entry. However; yesterday it was brought to my attention the possibility for the probe heat to be continuously on with aircraft on ground. After reviewing the probe heat system; to me it seems it is possible to misinterp the above possibility with an inoperative probe heat light and still pass the MEL procedures manual. I suggest MEL clarification to discriminate probe heat amber light problem (light out on ground) for an inoperative heat light and a probe heat which could possibly be continuously on on the ground. I have reviewed computer based training for yellow placard training to make sure I review MEL for correct placarding reference.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PILOT AND MECHANIC REPORT ABOUT A B757-200 THAT DEPARTED WITH A PITOT STATIC HEAT CONTINUOUSLY ON; WHILE ON THE GROUND. LEFT AUX PITOT HEAT LIGHT WAS DEFERRED AS INOP.

Narrative: PARKED AT GATE. MECHS WERE WORKING ON PITOT HEAT PROB. PITOT HEAT STAYED ON THE GND. AFTER TROUBLESHOOTING; RESETTING CIRCUIT BREAKERS BY MECHS; MECHS COMMUNICATED WITH MAINT CTL; THEY GAVE OK FOR FLT. MECH SIGNS THE ITEM OFF. OK FOR FLT INCLUDING ETOPS #1 CHK. SINCE PITOT AIR GND LOGIC STAYED IN AIR; PITOT STAYED HOT; THEREFORE GOOD FOR FLT. IN THE AIR; THERE WAS NO EICAS MESSAGE SINCE PITOT HEAT FUNCTIONED NORMAL FOR FLT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 800131: ACFT X WAS HERE AT ZZZ WITH AN OPEN MEL. THE MEL AUTH NUMBER WAS FOR AN INOP L AUX PITOT HEAT LIGHT; PROBE HEAT WORKS. DURING LOGBOOK REVIEW; THERE WAS A YELLOW PLACARD WITH CHK BEFORE DEP BOX CHKED. I WAS THEN SENT TO ACCOMPLISH THE MEL PROCS MANUAL. PAX WERE ON BOARD. WHILE LOOKING AT THE OVERHEAD ANNUNCIATOR PANEL; I NOTICED THE R AUX PITOT HEAT AMBER LIGHT CAP WAS PUSHED ALL THE WAY IN AND LIGHT CAP BROKE. I ORDERED THE ANNUNCIATOR PANEL. PART WAS LOCATED AT THE HANGAR. IT TOOK A LITTLE WHILE TO GET THE PART. UPON REVIEWING THE MEL; NO YELLOW PLACARD WAS REQUIRED. LEFT THE WHITE PLACARD IN PLACE (LOGBOOK). I REPLACED THE ANNUNCIATOR PANEL AND MADE APPROPRIATE MAINT AND BAL ENTRY. HOWEVER; YESTERDAY IT WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTN THE POSSIBILITY FOR THE PROBE HEAT TO BE CONTINUOUSLY ON WITH ACFT ON GND. AFTER REVIEWING THE PROBE HEAT SYS; TO ME IT SEEMS IT IS POSSIBLE TO MISINTERP THE ABOVE POSSIBILITY WITH AN INOP PROBE HEAT LIGHT AND STILL PASS THE MEL PROCS MANUAL. I SUGGEST MEL CLARIFICATION TO DISCRIMINATE PROBE HEAT AMBER LIGHT PROB (LIGHT OUT ON GND) FOR AN INOP HEAT LIGHT AND A PROBE HEAT WHICH COULD POSSIBLY BE CONTINUOUSLY ON ON THE GND. I HAVE REVIEWED COMPUTER BASED TRAINING FOR YELLOW PLACARD TRAINING TO MAKE SURE I REVIEW MEL FOR CORRECT PLACARDING REF.

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.

Pilot and mechanic report about a B757-200 that departed with a pitot static heat continuously on; while on the ground. Left auxiliary pitot heat light was deferred as inoperative.