FAR -- AIRLINE MAINT POLICY -- ACR MECHS CONCEAL A MAINT DISCREPANCY FROM THE FLC SO THE ACFT WILL DEPART AS SCHEDULED.

Narrative

IN PHL; MAINT DISCOVERED A CRACK IN A HYD RESERVOIR. THEY FAILED TO ENTER THE PROB IN THE LOGBOOK; OR GND THE ACFT. THE CREW FLEW THE ACFT FROM PHL-CAE-MIA WITH NO KNOWLEDGE OF THE MECHANICAL PROB. IN MIA WE WERE INFORMED OF THE DEFECT. IT APPEARS THAT MAINT WANTED TO FIX THE AIRPLANE IN MIA; AND KEPT THE CREW IN THE DARK IN ORDER TO GET THE ACFT TO MIA. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR WAS FLYING A DC 8-73 FREIGHTER WHEN HE WAS INFORMED OF A HYD PROB BY HIS COMPANY OPS PERSONNEL AS HE APCHED MIA. HE HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN UNAWARE OF A HYD PROB AND THE FLC BEGAN QUESTIONING HOW THE MIA PERSONNEL KNEW OF THE PROB. THE COMPANY MGMNT FINALLY ADMITTED THAT THE CRACK IN THE CENTRAL SUPPLY RESERVOIR HAD BEEN DISCOVERED IN PHL SEVERAL LEGS PRIOR TO THIS CREW TAKING OVER THE ACFT. THE RPTR THINKS THAT THE MGMNT MADE A DECISION THAT THE ACFT COULD BE MORE CONVENIENTLY REPAIRED IN MIA AND THAT THE RISK OF A COMPLETE SUPPLY LOSS WAS NOT GREAT. THE FLC IS NOT IN AGREEMENT WITH THAT ASSESSMENT; HOWEVER THEY DID NOT CONSIDER THEMSELVES IN EXTREME DANGER. THE MEL HOWEVER; DOES NOT PERMIT OPS IN THIS CONDITION. THE ACFT WAS REPAIRED AND PUT BACK INTO SVC IN MIA.