Captain of A319 reports confrontations with ground personnel regarding appropriate maintenance proce...

Attributes
ACN	808473
Time
Date	200810
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bos.airport
State Reference	MA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A319
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : preflight ground : parked ground : maintenance
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	808473
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe maintenance problem : non compliance with mel non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	other
Factors
Maintenance	performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Environmental Factor Maintenance Human Performance Aircraft Company
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

Aircraft was dispatched with the APU generator on MEL. Upon attempted dispatch from bos fleet services was unfamiliar with proper procedures. Captain attempted to communicate proper procedures to no avail. Captain contacted operations for a ramp supervisor to intervene. A ramp manager showed up on the ramp. Captain introduced self to manager and asked if manager understood what was going on with the aircraft. Manager verbally exploded at captain and walked off the job with entire ground crew. Captain reported this to operations and to dispatcher. Captain requested a mechanic provide dispatch services of flight. After a length of time (approximately 15 mins) a ramp supervisor entered the cockpit. Captain tried to communicate situation; supervisor could not comprehend. Captain felt supervisor was under the influence due to; but not limited to; the following: possible alcohol smell on breath; unsteady posture; bloodshot eyes; slurred speech; occasional stuttering; slow speech. This was also reported to bos operations and to dispatcher and possibly ACARS sent of same. A mechanic eventually did show and safely perform dispatch of flight.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPTAIN OF A319 REPORTS CONFRONTATIONS WITH GND PERSONNEL REGARDING APPROPRIATE MAINT PROCEDURES TO DISPATCH WITH THE APU GENERATOR DEFERRED INOP. EXPERIENCES INCOMPETENCE; IRRATIONAL BEHAVIOR; INSUBORDINATION AND POSSIBLE INTOXICATION.

Narrative: ACFT WAS DISPATCHED WITH THE APU GENERATOR ON MEL. UPON ATTEMPTED DISPATCH FROM BOS FLEET SVCS WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH PROPER PROCS. CAPT ATTEMPTED TO COMMUNICATE PROPER PROCS TO NO AVAIL. CAPT CONTACTED OPS FOR A RAMP SUPVR TO INTERVENE. A RAMP MGR SHOWED UP ON THE RAMP. CAPT INTRODUCED SELF TO MGR AND ASKED IF MGR UNDERSTOOD WHAT WAS GOING ON WITH THE ACFT. MGR VERBALLY EXPLODED AT CAPT AND WALKED OFF THE JOB WITH ENTIRE GND CREW. CAPT RPTED THIS TO OPS AND TO DISPATCHER. CAPT REQUESTED A MECH PROVIDE DISPATCH SVCS OF FLT. AFTER A LENGTH OF TIME (APPROX 15 MINS) A RAMP SUPVR ENTERED THE COCKPIT. CAPT TRIED TO COMMUNICATE SIT; SUPVR COULD NOT COMPREHEND. CAPT FELT SUPVR WAS UNDER THE INFLUENCE DUE TO; BUT NOT LIMITED TO; THE FOLLOWING: POSSIBLE ALCOHOL SMELL ON BREATH; UNSTEADY POSTURE; BLOODSHOT EYES; SLURRED SPEECH; OCCASIONAL STUTTERING; SLOW SPEECH. THIS WAS ALSO RPTED TO BOS OPS AND TO DISPATCHER AND POSSIBLY ACARS SENT OF SAME. A MECH EVENTUALLY DID SHOW AND SAFELY PERFORM DISPATCH OF FLT.

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.

Captain of A319 reports confrontations with ground personnel regarding appropriate maintenance procedures to dispatch with the APU generator deferred inoperative. Experiences incompetence; irrational behavior; insubordination and possible intoxication.