An air carrier A320 captain noticed during preflight that a circuit breaker was not properly secured...

Attributes
ACN	803293
Time
Date	200809
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
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 : 200 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 4800
ASRS Report	803293
Events
Anomaly	maintenance problem : improper maintenance maintenance problem : non compliance with mel
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Maintenance Human Performance
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

I arrived at aircraft to preflight for flight. The aircraft had a deferred item for an inoperative yellow hydraulic pump. The MEL states that 'Y' hydraulic electric pump circuit breakers must be pulled and safetied as well as the doors/cargo circuit breaker. The doors/cargo 5 amp circuit breaker was pulled and a half attempt to secure it with a deferral sticker was attempted. My problem is with the 50 amp hydraulic pump circuit breaker on the '123 vu' panel was pulled with no attempt to secure it. Had we not caught this error we would have had a 50 amp circuit breaker wide open with the potential for it to be accidentally pushed back in or reset. I ensured the circuit breaker was secured in the open position and upon arrival into ZZZ1 I had maintenance come to cockpit with proper collars for both circuit breakers. To me this is just another example of contract maintenance failing to perform and company maintenance practices becoming more and more lax with little oversight of who is doing what to our aircraft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR A320 CAPT NOTICED DURING PREFLIGHT THAT A CIRCUIT BREAKER WAS NOT PROPERLY SECURED BY CONTRACT MAINT PERSONNEL WITH A COLLAR IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE MEL.

Narrative: I ARRIVED AT ACFT TO PREFLT FOR FLT. THE ACFT HAD A DEFERRED ITEM FOR AN INOP YELLOW HYD PUMP. THE MEL STATES THAT 'Y' HYD ELECTRIC PUMP CIRCUIT BREAKERS MUST BE PULLED AND SAFETIED AS WELL AS THE DOORS/CARGO CIRCUIT BREAKER. THE DOORS/CARGO 5 AMP CIRCUIT BREAKER WAS PULLED AND A HALF ATTEMPT TO SECURE IT WITH A DEFERRAL STICKER WAS ATTEMPTED. MY PROB IS WITH THE 50 AMP HYD PUMP CIRCUIT BREAKER ON THE '123 VU' PANEL WAS PULLED WITH NO ATTEMPT TO SECURE IT. HAD WE NOT CAUGHT THIS ERROR WE WOULD HAVE HAD A 50 AMP CIRCUIT BREAKER WIDE OPEN WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR IT TO BE ACCIDENTALLY PUSHED BACK IN OR RESET. I ENSURED THE CIRCUIT BREAKER WAS SECURED IN THE OPEN POS AND UPON ARR INTO ZZZ1 I HAD MAINT COME TO COCKPIT WITH PROPER COLLARS FOR BOTH CIRCUIT BREAKERS. TO ME THIS IS JUST ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF CONTRACT MAINT FAILING TO PERFORM AND COMPANY MAINT PRACTICES BECOMING MORE AND MORE LAX WITH LITTLE OVERSIGHT OF WHO IS DOING WHAT TO OUR ACFT.

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.

An air carrier A320 captain noticed during preflight that a circuit breaker was not properly secured by contract maintenance personnel with a collar in accordance with the MEL.