Narrative:

We started the day delayed since we had to take a plane just coming out of heavy check; which spent over two weeks days in maintenance; which was delayed because of a weather radar fail and flight control fault. The radar was replaced; but the flight control fault was cleared using the return to service control test. During flight we noticed no problems; but after landing the cockpit and forward cabin temp went up to nearly 85 degrees; and we got another flight control fault message. Maintenance deferred pack 1; and again did a return to service test to clear the flight control fault. We then flew the plane on the next leg; and got a 3rd flight control fault; which was again cleared with the return to service test. On the flight back; on descent; the flight attendants called up and told us that the cabin temp was unbearable hot. Checking the ecs page; it showed the cabin temp to be 97F. In order to attempt to cool the cabin; I turned on the deferred pack 1; and turned off pack 2. This action lowered the temp into the mid 80s; and we landed without incident; except for getting a 4th flight control fault. Maintenance again cleared the fault with a return to service test; and deferred pack 2; requiring that the next flight be flown unpressurized. The next day we got this aircraft again; and in checking the logbook found that they had replaced a right aileron PCU; discovered that they had installed a valve backwards on pack 1; and also fixed pack 2. However; again in flight with both packs operating; pack 2 started blowing out extremely hot air; required it be shut down; and deferred yet again. On the next leg the flight attendants called us and notified us that the cabin temp was very warm; showing 80F; and would not drop; even though the temperature controllers were set to full cold. I contacted dispatch and maintenance via ACARS; and was discussing a diversion; since the temperature was so warm; with passenger complaints. I decided to go into the cabin to see how warm it was for myself. My first officer went to put on his O2 mask per procedures; only to pull out the whole container that held the mask; it had never been attached to the plane. He was able to use it; and I went back to find the cabin was very warm. I returned to the flight deck; and my first officer requested to use the lavatory. I donned my O2 mask only to find that it was not hooked up to the interphone system; so I could not communicate while on it. At this time the cockpit door lock system also failed. We ended up diverting to swap to a spare plane to complete the flight. In the 2 days following a heavy check we had problems with both packs 4 times; 4 flight control faults; and both pilot oxygen masks were not installed correctly. The flight control faults were particularly troublesome because they did not fix a known fault with the system; but rather pencil whipped the logbook so that the flights could be completed. Also very troubling is that both oxygen masks were not installed properly. Had we had a decompression event; this could have led to disastrous results. Maintenance needs to do a more thorough job of completing heavy checks and testing prior to releasing aircraft to be flown.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EMB170 Captain describes the equipment failures experienced during multiple legs flown in an aircraft just released from over two weeks days of heavy maintenance. The faults included flight control faults; pack faults; and crew oxygen system anomalies.

Narrative: We started the day delayed since we had to take a plane just coming out of heavy check; which spent over two weeks days in maintenance; which was delayed because of a weather radar fail and flight control fault. The radar was replaced; but the flight control fault was cleared using the return to service control test. During flight we noticed no problems; but after landing the cockpit and forward cabin temp went up to nearly 85 degrees; and we got another flight control fault message. Maintenance deferred pack 1; and again did a return to service test to clear the flight control fault. We then flew the plane on the next leg; and got a 3rd flight control fault; which was again cleared with the return to service test. On the flight back; on descent; the flight attendants called up and told us that the cabin temp was unbearable hot. Checking the ECS page; it showed the cabin temp to be 97F. In order to attempt to cool the cabin; I turned on the deferred pack 1; and turned off pack 2. This action lowered the temp into the mid 80s; and we landed without incident; except for getting a 4th flight control fault. Maintenance again cleared the fault with a return to service test; and deferred pack 2; requiring that the next flight be flown unpressurized. The next day we got this aircraft again; and in checking the logbook found that they had replaced a right aileron PCU; discovered that they had installed a valve backwards on pack 1; and also fixed pack 2. However; again in flight with both packs operating; pack 2 started blowing out extremely hot air; required it be shut down; and deferred yet again. On the next leg the flight attendants called us and notified us that the cabin temp was very warm; showing 80F; and would not drop; even though the temperature controllers were set to full cold. I contacted dispatch and Maintenance via ACARS; and was discussing a diversion; since the temperature was so warm; with passenger complaints. I decided to go into the cabin to see how warm it was for myself. My First Officer went to put on his O2 mask per procedures; only to pull out the whole container that held the mask; it had never been attached to the plane. He was able to use it; and I went back to find the cabin was very warm. I returned to the flight deck; and my First Officer requested to use the Lavatory. I donned my O2 mask only to find that it was not hooked up to the Interphone system; so I could not communicate while on it. At this time the cockpit door lock system also failed. We ended up diverting to swap to a spare plane to complete the flight. In the 2 days following a heavy check we had problems with both packs 4 times; 4 flight control faults; and both pilot oxygen masks were not installed correctly. The flight control faults were particularly troublesome because they did not fix a known fault with the system; but rather pencil whipped the logbook so that the flights could be completed. Also very troubling is that both oxygen masks were not installed properly. Had we had a decompression event; this could have led to disastrous results. Maintenance needs to do a more thorough job of completing heavy checks and testing prior to releasing aircraft to be flown.

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.