Narrative:

Level 1 'fuel qty 2 disag' fault after refueling. Maintenance worked the problem and it was evident that the fault at least in part was that the #2 tank; 10;000 pounds float was at fault. This item is not deferrable as per the MEL; the other floats are. Maintenance control came up with MEL 28-01-01-02; #2 'main tank fuel qty indicators inoperative'. This MEL involved disconnecting various cannon plugs which completely disabled the #2 tank indicating system; including the potentially defective 10;000 pounds float; i.e.; no more peeps out of it. This procedure was essentially just sweeping trash under the rug to make the problem go away instead of addressing it directly.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: An MD-11 Captain reports his concerns about their Maintenance Control operations deferring the entire #2 main tank fuel quantity indicators as inoperative rather than addressing the #2 tank 10;000 LBS float that was at fault.

Narrative: Level 1 'FUEL QTY 2 DISAG' fault after refueling. Maintenance worked the problem and it was evident that the fault at least in part was that the #2 tank; 10;000 LBS float was at fault. This item is not deferrable as per the MEL; the other floats are. Maintenance Control came up with MEL 28-01-01-02; #2 'MAIN TANK FUEL QTY INDICATORS INOP'. This MEL involved disconnecting various cannon plugs which completely disabled the #2 tank indicating system; including the potentially defective 10;000 LBS float; i.e.; no more peeps out of it. This procedure was essentially just sweeping trash under the rug to make the problem go away instead of addressing it directly.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.