MLG HAS BLUE WATER OVERFILL AND LEAK INTO E&E COMPARTMENT. ACI REQUIRES INSPECTION AFTER CLEANED AND SIGNED OFF.
Synopsis
MLG HAS BLUE WATER OVERFILL AND LEAK INTO E&E COMPARTMENT. ACI REQUIRES INSPECTION AFTER CLEANED AND SIGNED OFF.
Narrative
DURING PREFLT; FORWARD LAVATORY WAS OVERFILLED DURING SVCING OF ACFT. BLUE WATER LEAKED INTO E&E COMPARTMENT (ELECTRICAL EQUIP). MAINT CLEANED E&E COMPARTMENT AND SIGNED OFF LOGBOOK WRITE-UP AS REQUIRED. FLT DEPARTED DFW AND ARRIVED LGB WITHOUT ANY UNUSUAL OR SAFETY RELATED PROBS. UPON ARR IN LGB FAA MAINT INSPECTOR RPTED TO COCKPIT CREW THAT HE HAD NOTICED BLUE WATER DRIPPING FROM E&E COMPARTMENT DRAIN HOLE. CAPT EXPLAINED HISTORY OF FLT AND OVERFILL OF FORWARD LAVATORY INCLUDING STEPS TAKEN TO CORRECT DISCREPANCY. FAA INSPECTOR ASKED TO INSPECT E&E COMPARTMENT AND CAPT COMPLIED VOLUNTARILY. INSPECTOR RPTED BLUE WATER DRIPPING AND PUDDLES; CAPT RPTED NO SIGNS OF DRIPS OR PUDDLES UPON HIS VISUAL INSPECTION. ALSO FOUND PLASTIC WRAPPING TAPED ABOVE COMPONENTS TO PREVENT DRIPPING ONTO ELECTRICAL EQUIP. PLASTIC WAS REMOVED. FAA REQUESTED AN A&P TO INSPECT E&E AND CLEAN. CAPT AGREED ON THIS BUT WAS DISMAYED WHEN IT WAS FOUND THAT THE A&P WAS ON CALL AND AT LEAST 40 MINS FROM ARPT. THEREFORE; CAPT; HAVING INSPECTED AND FLOWN THE ACFT PRIOR TO THIS POINT; REFUSED TO TAKE A DELAY FOR THE ARR OF AN A&P AND CLOSED UP THE ACFT AND PUSHED BACK FOR TAXI AND TKOF; SINCE IN HIS OPINION NO PROB EXISTED AND ACFT WAS SAFE FOR FLT. HOWEVER; ON PUSHBACK; FAA INSPECTOR CAME TROTTING OUT OF BUILDING WITH HANDS RAISED; TURNED AND WENT BACK INTO BUILDING. APPARENTLY; A COM BREAKDOWN OCCURRED BTWN CAPT AND FAA INSPECTOR. FAA INSPECTOR THOUGHT THE FLT WOULD WAIT FOR THE A&P TO ARRIVE. FLT LGB-DFW TAXIED FOR DEP ONLY TO RECEIVE A CALL FROM LGB TWR TO CALL COMPANY IN LGB. FAA INSPECTOR HAD CALLED OPS IN FLORIDA AND IN MY OPINION; PUT UNDUE PRESSURE ON MGMNT TO CALL FLT BACK TO GATE FOR INSPECTION. CAPT COMPLIED AND RETURNED TO PARKING. AFTER PAX WERE OFF LOADED AND A 40 MIN WAIT; THE A&P MECH RPTED 'NO BLUE WATER FOUND; NO DRIPS; NO PUDDLES; ONLY SMALL AMOUNT OF MOISTURE ON SKIN OF LOWER L FUSELAGE.' LOGBOOK WAS SIGNED OFF AGAIN; REMAINING PAX REBOARDED AND SECOND DEP OF FLT CONTINUED WITHOUT ANY PROBS. DURING THIS INCIDENT I WAS IN THE FLT DECK UNTIL THE ACFT WAS CALLED BACK TO THE TERMINAL. I MADE IT A POINT TO BE IN CLOSE PROX WHEN A&P RPTED FINDINGS TO FAA INSPECTOR SO I COULD HEAR EXACTLY WHAT WAS SAID. DURING THIS INCIDENT I CONCURRED WITH CAPT'S JUDGEMENTS AND DECISIONS AND DID NOT BELIEVE THAT THE FLT WAS OPERATED IN ANY MANNER CONTRARY TO SAFE AND LEGAL FAR REQUIREMENTS. I BELIEVE THE FAA INSPECTOR INTENDED TO VIOLATE THE CREW HAD WE TAKEN OFF ON THE FIRST ATTEMPT. I ALSO BELIEVE THE FAA INSPECTOR PERFORMED HIS DUTY WITH A CORDIAL BUT UNNECESSARY HARD-NOSED ATTITUDE. WHILE THE FAA HAS THE RESPONSIBILITY TO GND AN ACFT FOR ANY REASON THAT AFFECTS THE SAFE OP OF THE FLT; NO SUCH PROB WAS FOUND OR EXISTED. I BELIEVE THE PROB STARTED WITH THE MAINT OF THE ACFT. BLUE WATER SHOULD NOT REACH THE E&E COMPARTMENT; ALSO SOME FORM OF DRIP PROTECTION SHOULD HAVE BEEN INSTALLED IN THE E&E THAT WAS APPROVED.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.