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An md-80 captain refused an aircraft because the MEL did not; in his opinion; give him enough information to realistically apply a 15 KT speed adjustment.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 803897 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200809 |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | ground : parked |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| ASRS Report | 803897 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Aircraft Company |
| Primary Problem | Company |
Narrative:
ZZZ1-ZZZ wrote discrepancy for alpha speed annunciation in level flight at altitude followed by first officer's report that he felt aircraft buffet slightly during approach. Offload audit conducted at ZZZ with no discovery of what caused the problem. ZZZ-ZZZ1 aircraft problem repeated/persisted. Wrote up repeat discrepancy at ZZZ1 before using same aircraft to go to ZZZ2. Maintenance said it was within the 15 KT limit and showed me a copy of the maintenance manual MD80 maintenance manual. At this point; I did not have enough information to make a decision how to apply the '15 KT allowance.' if I add 15 to the 0/ret speed; do I add it to all the other bug speeds or just the top bug. Adding 15 KTS to my final bug speed would be a violation of our stabilized approach criteria; of course this was unacceptable. I tried to call the flight office but there was no answer. I called maintenance control in search of a test pilot with experience with this matter but was told maintenance control did not have any. As the WX and rain exacerbated the problem; I made the decision to play it safe and not accept this aircraft.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN MD-80 CAPT REFUSED AN AIRCRAFT BECAUSE THE MEL DID NOT; IN HIS OPINION; GIVE HIM ENOUGH INFORMATION TO REALISTICALLY APPLY A 15 KT SPEED ADJUSTMENT.
Narrative: ZZZ1-ZZZ WROTE DISCREPANCY FOR ALPHA SPD ANNUNCIATION IN LEVEL FLT AT ALT FOLLOWED BY FO'S RPT THAT HE FELT ACFT BUFFET SLIGHTLY DURING APCH. OFFLOAD AUDIT CONDUCTED AT ZZZ WITH NO DISCOVERY OF WHAT CAUSED THE PROB. ZZZ-ZZZ1 ACFT PROB REPEATED/PERSISTED. WROTE UP REPEAT DISCREPANCY AT ZZZ1 BEFORE USING SAME ACFT TO GO TO ZZZ2. MAINT SAID IT WAS WITHIN THE 15 KT LIMIT AND SHOWED ME A COPY OF THE MAINT MANUAL MD80 MAINT MANUAL. AT THIS POINT; I DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH INFO TO MAKE A DECISION HOW TO APPLY THE '15 KT ALLOWANCE.' IF I ADD 15 TO THE 0/RET SPD; DO I ADD IT TO ALL THE OTHER BUG SPDS OR JUST THE TOP BUG. ADDING 15 KTS TO MY FINAL BUG SPD WOULD BE A VIOLATION OF OUR STABILIZED APCH CRITERIA; OF COURSE THIS WAS UNACCEPTABLE. I TRIED TO CALL THE FLT OFFICE BUT THERE WAS NO ANSWER. I CALLED MAINT CTL IN SEARCH OF A TEST PLT WITH EXPERIENCE WITH THIS MATTER BUT WAS TOLD MAINT CTL DID NOT HAVE ANY. AS THE WX AND RAIN EXACERBATED THE PROB; I MADE THE DECISION TO PLAY IT SAFE AND NOT ACCEPT THIS 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.