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An A319 pilot questions whether low maintenance staffing levels and time pressure contributed to his carrier's mechanics replacing a scavenge pump on the left engine; when the right engine actually had the history of chronic excessive oil consumption.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 812495 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200811 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | A319 |
| 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 : 180 flight time total : 11800 flight time type : 3100 |
| ASRS Report | 812495 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : improper documentation maintenance problem : improper maintenance non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | other |
| Consequence | other Other |
| Factors | |
| Maintenance | contributing factor : briefing contributing factor : schedule pressure performance deficiency : installation performance deficiency : logbook entry performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Company Aircraft Maintenance Human Performance Environmental Factor |
| Primary Problem | Maintenance Human Performance |
Narrative:
This airplane has a history of excessive oil consumption and leaks on the right engine. There was a maintenance callout to replace a scavenge pump on the right engine. On the signoff; the mechanics replaced this pump; but on the left engine. I spoke with the maintenance engine controller. He reviewed the history; thanked me for making a 'good catch;' and took the airplane OTS. How does somebody work on the wrong engine? Is this a function of low maintenance staffing levels and time pressure? We've got to do better than this.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN A319 PILOT QUESTIONS WHETHER LOW MAINTENANCE STAFFING LEVELS AND TIME PRESSURE CONTRIBUTED TO HIS CARRIER'S MECHANICS REPLACING A SCAVENGE PUMP ON THE LEFT ENGINE; WHEN THE RIGHT ENGINE ACTUALLY HAD THE HISTORY OF CHRONIC EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION.
Narrative: THIS AIRPLANE HAS A HISTORY OF EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION AND LEAKS ON THE R ENG. THERE WAS A MAINT CALLOUT TO REPLACE A SCAVENGE PUMP ON THE R ENG. ON THE SIGNOFF; THE MECHS REPLACED THIS PUMP; BUT ON THE L ENG. I SPOKE WITH THE MAINT ENG CTLR. HE REVIEWED THE HISTORY; THANKED ME FOR MAKING A 'GOOD CATCH;' AND TOOK THE AIRPLANE OTS. HOW DOES SOMEBODY WORK ON THE WRONG ENG? IS THIS A FUNCTION OF LOW MAINT STAFFING LEVELS AND TIME PRESSURE? WE'VE GOT TO DO BETTER THAN THIS.
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.