B767 flight crew reports refusing aircraft fuel leak that maintenance insists is within deferrable l...

Attributes
ACN	801066
Time
Date	200808
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : rjtg.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B767-300 and 300 ER
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 155 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 3500
ASRS Report	801066
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe maintenance problem : improper maintenance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company Flight Crew Human Performance Maintenance Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

Maintenance intended to carry forward a fuel leak of more than 30 drops per min. In my opinion; this conflicts with flight manual guidance on what is acceptable for a carry forward item. Aircraft was refused for this fuel leak. Fuel leak was 6 drops per min static and 30 drops per min at motoring RPM according to maintenance. What would it be at idle RPM? How about takeoff RPM? We are not test pilots. This was a major safety issue maintenance intended to carry forward. Furthermore; the crew was pushed by a maintenance supervisor who said; heard by 2 pilots and the maintenance who had the radio; 'it is a legal carry forward; if these guys won't fly it; we'll find somebody who will.' this is a clear threat to shop aircraft and to push a serious safety write-up on an aircraft far beyond a reasonable limit. Furthermore; when the engine was motored by maintenance; there was still 1 handicapped passenger on board and the flight attendants. This is in violation of the FARS and was probably caused by pressure on the mechanic by the very same supervisor who pushed the pilots.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B767 FLT CREW REPORTS REFUSING ACFT FUEL LEAK THAT MAINTENANCE INSISTS IS WITHIN DEFERRABLE LIMITS.

Narrative: MAINT INTENDED TO CARRY FORWARD A FUEL LEAK OF MORE THAN 30 DROPS PER MIN. IN MY OPINION; THIS CONFLICTS WITH FLT MANUAL GUIDANCE ON WHAT IS ACCEPTABLE FOR A CARRY FORWARD ITEM. ACFT WAS REFUSED FOR THIS FUEL LEAK. FUEL LEAK WAS 6 DROPS PER MIN STATIC AND 30 DROPS PER MIN AT MOTORING RPM ACCORDING TO MAINT. WHAT WOULD IT BE AT IDLE RPM? HOW ABOUT TKOF RPM? WE ARE NOT TEST PLTS. THIS WAS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE MAINT INTENDED TO CARRY FORWARD. FURTHERMORE; THE CREW WAS PUSHED BY A MAINT SUPVR WHO SAID; HEARD BY 2 PLTS AND THE MAINT WHO HAD THE RADIO; 'IT IS A LEGAL CARRY FORWARD; IF THESE GUYS WON'T FLY IT; WE'LL FIND SOMEBODY WHO WILL.' THIS IS A CLR THREAT TO SHOP ACFT AND TO PUSH A SERIOUS SAFETY WRITE-UP ON AN ACFT FAR BEYOND A REASONABLE LIMIT. FURTHERMORE; WHEN THE ENG WAS MOTORED BY MAINT; THERE WAS STILL 1 HANDICAPPED PAX ON BOARD AND THE FLT ATTENDANTS. THIS IS IN VIOLATION OF THE FARS AND WAS PROBABLY CAUSED BY PRESSURE ON THE MECH BY THE VERY SAME SUPVR WHO PUSHED THE PLTS.

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.

B767 flight crew reports refusing aircraft fuel leak that maintenance insists is within deferrable limits.