A DISPATCHER CANCELED A FLT BECAUSE OF CTL AIRFRAME VIBRATION PROBLEM. THE ACFT WAS OTS FOR 2 DAYS.

1992-11 · NASA ASRS report 225439

Date: 1992-11 · Aircraft: Large Transport; Low Wing; 2 Turbojet Eng · Phase: ground

Anomalies: aircraft-equipment-problem-critical|other-unspecified

Synopsis

A DISPATCHER CANCELED A FLT BECAUSE OF CTL AIRFRAME VIBRATION PROBLEM. THE ACFT WAS OTS FOR 2 DAYS.

Narrative

ON THE PREVIOUS FLT; THE CAPT HAD DISCUSSED AN AIRFRAME VIBRATION WITH MAINT CTL. PRIOR TO BEGINNING THE FLT IN QUESTION; THE CAPT CALLED DISPATCH AND REQUESTED A REMARK BE PLACED ON THE RELEASE TO THE EFFECT THAT THE ACFT WOULD BE OPERATED AT M76 OR SLOWER. AS CHIEF DISPATCHER; OVERHEARING THIS CONVERSATION; I INTERVENED AND ASKED THE CAPT FOR AN EXPLANATION. CAPT THEN TOLD ME THAT THE ACFT VIBRATED AT M78; BUT THE VIBRATION CEASED AT M76. I EXPLAINED TO THE CAPT THAT THIS WAS INSUFFICIENT EXPLANATION; IN MY OPINION; SINCE M76 COULD ACTUALLY BE FASTER THAN M78 IF THE TEMP WERE SUFFICIENTLY WARMER. I ADVISED THE CAPT THAT IF THE ACFT WAS NOT PERFORMING AS ADVERTISED IN THE LGT SALES BROCHURE; THEN MAINT HAD 3 CHOICES: MEL IT; FIX IT; OR FERRY IT. CAPT STATED AGAIN THAT HE HAD NO PROBLEM FLYING THE ACFT IN REVENUE SVC PROVIDED THE DISPATCHER WOULD SIMPLY REMARK ON THE RELEASE THAT WE WERE LIMITED TO M76. I INFORMED THE CAPT THAT I WOULD NOT PUT THAT REMARK ON A RELEASE; THAT I WOULD NOT ALLOW ONE OF MY DISPATCHERS TO PUT THAT REMARK ON A RELEASE; AND THE BALL WAS NOW IN MAINT CTL'S COURT. FLT WAS CANCELLED. ACFT WAS FERRIED UNDER A PART 91 MAINT FERRY PERMIT; TO MSP. THE FOLLOWING AFTERNOON; IT WAS DECIDED THAT THE ACFT HAD A CTL PROBLEM THAT REQUIRED GNDING OF THE ACFT UNTIL A FIX COULD BE PERFORMED. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT ALL THE LGT'S WILL EXPERIENCE THIS SAME PROBLEM EARLY IN THEIR SVC LIVES. THE COMPANY HAS NOT SEEN FIT TO ADVISE ME AS TO EXACTLY WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. I WOULD GUESS WE ARE TALKING ABOUT CTL SURFACE SERVOS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH REPORTER REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: THE RPTING DISPATCHER STATES THAT THE ACFT WAS FERRIED TO MSP FOR MAINT. IT FAILED A TEST FLT; THEN HAD A FLAP SERVO ACTUATOR CHANGED AND TEST FLOWN AGAIN. THE FAA IS VERY MUCH AWARE OF THE SITUATION. THE ACFT WAS OTS FOR 2 DAYS. AS THE AIRLINE IS FACING BANKRUPTCY; THE PART HAD TO COME FROM FRANCE. THE MANUFACTURER IS VERY MUCH AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM; AND A MANDATORY FIX MAY BE FORTHCOMING.

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.

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