A DC8-62 WITH 1 WING SLOT INOP CLOSED WAS FLOWN WITH ENGINEERING AUTH IN REVENUE SVC IN CONFLICT WITH THE MEL AND OPERATIONAL LIMITATIONS.

Narrative

ON DEC/XA/98; FLT XYZ WAS CANCELED DUE TO A MAINT PROB. THE MAINT ISSUE SEEMED ONLY TO BE A PROB TO THE CREW. ALL 3 CREW MEMBERS WERE IN AGREEMENT THAT WITHOUT FURTHER INVESTIGATION INTO OUR MAINT PROB THE AIRPLANE SHOULD NOT BE FLOWN. ACR MAINT AND ACR CHIEF PLTS DISAGREED. AN ENGINEERING AUTH WAS ISSUED IN REGARD TO A SLOT PROB ON A DC8. THE CAPT DIDN'T AGREE WITH THE ENGINEERING AUTH IN RESPECT TO A SIT THAT WENT AGAINST OUR OP LIMITATIONS. (ALL SLOT DOORS MUST BE 'OPEN' FOR TKOF AND LNDGS.) THE REMOVAL OF THE SLOT APPARATUS REVERTS THE UPPER SLOT DOOR TO THE 'CLOSED' POS. THIS WAS OUR CONDITION AND OUR DILEMMA. COULD THE ENGINEERING AUTH OVERRIDE OUR OP/LIMITATIONS? AFTER OVER 16 HRS OF DEBATE THE ACFT WAS FLOWN WITH FREIGHT (PART 121) IN THE SAME CONDITION WHICH IT WAS REFUSED THE PREVIOUS NIGHT WITH THE FOLLOWING EXCEPTIONS: 1) THE CHIEF PLTS ASSIGNED A STANDARDS CAPT AND FE TO FLY THE AIRPLANE (I WAS STILL THE FO). 2) THE SIT WENT THROUGH OUR BASE MAINT CHIEF. 3) THE SIT WAS REVIEWED BY THE HEAD CHIEF PLT. 4) THE SIT WAS REVIEWED BY DC8 STANDARDS DEPT. 5) THE FAA WAS SAID TO BE IN AGREEMENT WITH THE PROPOSAL TO FLY THE ACFT BACK TO ILN WITH FREIGHT. THE PROB IS THAT SOMETIMES A CREW HAS TO FLY AN AIRPLANE ON THE GOOD FAITH WORD OF A CHIEF PLT. IT JUST SEEMS THAT SOMETIMES THE CREWS ARE CAUGHT IN BTWN WHAT THEY FEEL IS CORRECT (IN THIS CASE A NON REVENUE FERRY FLT) AND WHAT THE COMPANY WANTS AND SAYS (WORD OF MOUTH) IS OK. HOW CAN I JUDGE AN ENGINEERING AUTH? THE PLTS THAT REFUSED THE FLT WERE NOT PUNISHED; HOWEVER; WE ARE STILL NOT SURE WHAT THE CORRECT PROC SHOULD BE IN A SIT LIKE THIS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE ACFT HAD A WING SLOT INOP CLOSED AND THE ACR WANTED THE CREW TO OPERATE THE ACFT USING AS AUTH TO DEFER THE SLOT AN ENGINEERING AUTH. THE RPTR STATED THIS WAS IN CONFLICT WITH THE MEL AND THE ACFT OPERATIONAL LIMITATIONS. THE RPTR SAID THE ACFT WAS FLOWN IN REVENUE SVC USING THIS ENGINEERING AUTH. THE RPTR WAS COUNSELED BY THE ANALYST AND ALSO GIVEN THE FAA HOTLINE PHONE NUMBER.