2003-08 · NASA ASRS report 590862
AN MD80 WAS DISPATCHED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH NOSE LNDG GEAR SPRAY DEFLECTORS MISSING AND DEFERRED PER THE CDL (CONFIGN DEV LIST) BUT REQUIRED PLACARD NOT INSTALLED.
SHIP X; PREVIOUS DAY MAINT ENTRY IN SHIP'S LOGBOOK STATED NOSE LNDG GEAR WATER-SPRAY DEFLECTOR'S AFT DEBRIS DEFLECTORS WERE NOT ATTACHED/INSTALLED. THESE MISSING RUBBER STRIPS ARE A PERMISSIBLE EXCEPTION TO THE AIRWORTHINESS CERTIFICATE; AS LISTED UNDER CDL (CONFIGN DEV LIST) PARAGRAPH 32-20-01; SPECIFICALLY DESCRIBED IN A SPECIAL NOTE IN MEDP (MINIMUM EQUIP DISPATCH PROC); CONFIGN DEV LIST PAGE 10 (DATED JAN/XA/03). 'NOTE: THE NOSE WATER DEFLECTOR RUBBER SIDE PLATES. THE DEBRIS DEFLECTOR AT THE REAR OF THE SPRAY DEFLECTOR IS NOT REQUIRED AND CAN BE DEFERRED BY A MECH WITHOUT ANY EFFECT ON FLT OPS. SEE 5-52-00; PAGE 2 OF 4.' THIS IS THE SECOND TIME FOR THE NON COMPLIANCE WITH CONFIGN DEV LIST PLACARD REQUIREMENTS. I FLEW 2 LEGS IN NON COMPLIANCE; DUE TO COMPANY'S REFUSAL TO COMPLY WITH CONFIGN DEV LIST REQUIREMENTS FOR PLACARDING A DEV TO CERTIFIED CONFIGN ON THE MD80. DELAY WAS DUE TO COMPANY ZZZ1 MAINT REFUSAL TO COMPLY WITH CONFIGN DEV LIST PROC REQUIRING: '...APPROPRIATE PLACARD...INSTALLED ON...INST PANEL IN CLR VIEW OF THE CAPT.' (REQUIRED FOR COMPLIANCE WITH THE WORDING THE FLT CREW'S FHB 4.03.2; UPPER L COLUMN; UNDER HEADING 'PLACARDING.') WITH A KNOWN DEV OF SHIP'S CONFIGN ENTERED IN THE SHIP'S LOGBOOK; THE CREW MUST INSURE THE MISSING COMPONENT IS A PERMISSIBLE EXCEPTION TO CERTIFIED CONFIGN; AND INSURE COMPLIANCE WITH APPROPRIATE CONFIGN DEV LIST PLACARDING PROCS. ZZZ1 MAINT REFUSED TO POST THE REQUIRED CONFIGN DEV LIST PLACARD ON THE SHIP'S INST PANEL IN PLAIN VIEW OF THE CAPT. THIS REFUSAL OF ZZZ1 MAINT; AND THEIR LACK OF COOPERATION; AND REFUSAL TO SYMPATHIZE WITH THE REQUIREMENTS IMPOSED ON THE FLT CREW BY THE CONFIGN DEV LIST CREATED PROBS THAT I COULD NOT SOLVE. EVENTUALLY; MAINT ADVISED THAT WE (FLT CREW) IGNORE ANY FHB-CONFIGN DEV LIST REQUIREMENT FOR THAT PLACARD ON THE INST PANEL; AND WE FLEW THE ACFT FOR THE NEXT 2 LEGS WITHOUT THE PLACARD DESCRIBING THE CONFIGN-DEV. IN A LENGTHY PHONE CONVERSATION WITH ZZZ MAINT COORDINATOR THAT MAINT COORDINATOR FIRMLY REFUSED TO CONSIDER THAT THE FLT CREW'S PROC REQUIRED THAT PRIOR TO FLT THE PLACARD MUST BE PASTED ON THE INST PANEL PER CONFIGN DEV LIST (FHB PAGE 4.03.02 UPPER L). FURTHERMORE; THE MAINT COORDINATOR INSISTED THAT THE FLT NEED NOT BE DISPATCHED IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE CONFIGN DEV LIST; CITING THIS SPECIFIC CONFIGN-DEV AS A 'STRAIGHT DEFERRAL.' NUMEROUS TIMES HE ASSERTED THAT THE COMPANY'S INTERP OF THE CONFIGN DEV LIST PERMITTED A 'STRAIGHT DEFERRAL' OF MISSING/DAMAGED COMPONENTS WHICH HE (THE MAIN COORDINATOR) REGARDED AS MERELY CONVENIENCE ITEMS. AT NO TIME DID HE OFFER ANY MEL/CONFIGN DEV LIST REF DEFINING ANY MENTION OF A 'STRAIGHT DEFERRAL.' AS FAR AS I KNOW; THERE IS NO DEFINITION FOR A 'STRAIGHT DEFERRAL;' AND THIS IS NOT A PERMISSIBLE METHOD FOR COMPLIANCE WITH DEVS TO THE CERTIFIED CONFIGN ON THE ACFT.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.
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