A B727-200 ON NOSE GEAR EXTENSION HAD A LOUD GRINDING NOISE. RPT WAS NOT WRITTEN UP BY THE CREW IN ORDER TO FLY THE ACFT TO A MAINT STATION.

Narrative

ON APCH INTO LYON; FRANCE; WHEN GEAR WAS SELECTED TO THE DOWN POS; THERE WAS A LOUD GRINDING NOISE. THE NOSE GEAR WAS SLOW TO EXTEND AND LOCK TO THE DOWN POS. THE CAPT DID NOT WANT TO WRITE UP THE PROB AT AN OUT STATION TO GND THE AIRPLANE; BUT WANTED TO CONTINUE FLYING TO SEE IF IT WOULD RECUR OR WAS A FLUKE. THE PROB SEEMED TO BE A ONCE ONLY THING UNTIL 4 LEGS LATER ON APCH INTO HOME BASE. THE GEAR AGAIN MADE A LOUD GRINDING NOISE AND THE NOSE GEAR WAS SLOW TO EXTEND AND LOCK. THE CAPT WROTE UP THE PROB. THE AIRPLANE WAS ON A QUICK TURN. THE MECH TOOK A QUICK LOOK AND SAID THE PROB WAS THE NOSE GEAR HAD 'NOT BEEN SVCED IN A LONG TIME.' HE ADDED GREASE AND SIGNED IT OFF AS AIRWORTHY. UPON OUR RETURN TO THE ACFT WE ASKED HIM IF HE HAD SWUNG THE GEAR. HE SAID HE HAD. WE DEPARTED BRUSSELS ON MAY/XX/99 AT XA42 AND UPON RETRACTION; THE GEAR MADE THE SAME NOISE. THE NEXT SEVERAL LEGS IT FUNCTIONED PROPERLY. ON APCH TO EMA XB00Z THE GEAR AGAIN MADE THE SAME NOISE. THE CAPT AGAIN WROTE THE PROB UP. MAINT CHKED IT AND TOLD US THE PLANE WAS NOT AIRWORTHY. THE STEERING MECHANISM WAS HELD TOGETHER WITH 10 BOLTS AND ONLY 2 WERE LOOSELY ON THE AIRPLANE. THE FRONT NOSE GEAR DOORS WERE GRINDING DUE TO INCORRECT FITTING OF PARTS. THE MECH TOLD US HE COULD NOT UNDERSTAND HOW MAINT HAD MISSED SUCH AN OBVIOUS PROB. HE REFUSED TO SIGN THE AIRPLANE OFF AND CALLED BRUSSELS MAINT CTL TO ASK ABOUT A FERRY PERMIT BACK TO HOME BASE FOR REPAIRS. HE RETURNED SAYING BRUSSELS HAD NOT BOTHERED TO SWING THE GEAR WITH THE FIRST WRITE-UP AND HE WAS BEING FORCED TO RELEASE THE PLANE SO IT COULD CARRY CARGO BACK TO BASE. HE GREASED UP THE DOOR AND SIGNED OFF THE PAPERWORK RELUCTANTLY. ON APCH TO ARPT ON MAY/XD/99 AT XC42 THE GEAR AGAIN MADE A NOISE. THE PROB WAS AGAIN WRITTEN UP AS A REPEAT ITEM. MAINT MET THE AIRPLANE AND TOLD THE CREW WE WERE NOT ALLOWED TO WRITE IT INTO THE LOGBOOK WITHOUT THEIR PERMISSION AND THEY WOULD NOW HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO 'PENCIL WHIP IT AGAIN.' THE PLANE WAS ON ANOTHER QUICK TURN. THE CAPT INSISTED IT HAD TO BE FIXED. WE MET WITH THE NEW CREW AND TOLD THEM OF THE SIT. WHEN THEY WENT TO THE PLANE; THEY MADE MAINT SWING THE GEAR. THERE WAS A NOISE AND THE NEW CAPT INSISTED IT BE REPAIRED BEFORE THE FLT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE ACFT WAS GNDED WHEN THE NEW CREW CHKED THE LOGBOOK AND DETERMINED THE ACFT WAS NOT SVCABLE. THE RPTR SAID THE ACTION TAKEN TO FIX THE NOSE GEAR HAS NOT BEEN RPTED TO THE FLC.