ETOPS FLT TO OGG DEPARTS WITH POSSIBLY ILLEGAL MAINT LOG DUE TO DEMANDS AND IMPLIED THREATS TO PIC SHOULD HE REFUSE TO DEPART.
Synopsis
ETOPS FLT TO OGG DEPARTS WITH POSSIBLY ILLEGAL MAINT LOG DUE TO DEMANDS AND IMPLIED THREATS TO PIC SHOULD HE REFUSE TO DEPART.
Narrative
A CONTRACT MECH PERFORMED AN ETOPS CHK PRIOR TO DEP. ACFT LOGBOOK PRESENTED TO CREW 10 MINS BEFORE DEP TIME. THE FO AND I INSPECTED THE ACFT LOG IN PRESENCE OF THE MECH. I DISCOVERED THE REQUIRED 'LINE SVC' CHK HAD NOT BEEN COMPLETED. REVIEW OF PREVIOUS LOGBOOK INDICATED THE LAST PROPERLY ENTERED LINE SVC CHK WAS COMPLETED ON OCT/SUN/05. THE ACFT HAD A LOG ENTRY IN THE SECOND DISCREPANCY BOX INDICATING 'LINE SVC CHK WORK CARD DUE OCT/TUE/05.' THE CORRECTIVE ACTION SIGNED OFF; BUT THE WORDING OF 'LINE SVC COMPLETED' WAS NOT ENTERED. ALSO; NO 'LINE SVC MAINT CHK' OR 'AIRWORTHINESS RELEASE' WITH DATE AND SIGNATURE OF MECH IN THE APPROPRIATE BOXES IN THE UPPER R-HAND CORNER OF LOG HAD BEEN ENTERED; WHICH IS REQUIRED. THE MECH AGREED THE LOGBOOK WAS NOT LEGAL FOR FLT. WE CALLED MR Y IN COMPANY MAINT CTL. AFTER A DISCUSSION OF THE ISSUE; THEY WERE UNABLE TO RESOLVE THE LOGBOOK PROB; SO I WAS HANDED THE PHONE. THE MAINT CTLR STATED THE LINE SVC CHK HAD BEEN COMPLETED ON OCT/WED/05 EVEN THOUGH THE ACFT LOGBOOK DID NOT REFLECT THE WORK COMPLETED. I REQUESTED A FAX HARD COPY OF THE LOG PAGE IN QUESTION AND WAS INFORMED THE LOG PAGE WAS IN TRANSIT; BUT THE ENTRY WAS INDICATED IN THE MAINT COMPUTER -- A SYS THAT IS NOT RECOGNIZED BY THE FAA; THAT THE LINE SVC HAD BEEN COMPLIED AND COMPLETED. I REQUESTED A COMPUTER HARD COPY BE FAXED SO IT COULD BE PLACED IN THE ACFT LOG; EVEN THOUGH I KNEW THAT WASN'T LEGAL AND MAINT CTL FAILED TO PROVIDE IT AND WOULD NOT GIVE A DEFINITIVE ANSWER TO ITS LEGALITY. I REQUESTED TO SPEAK TO THE REGIONAL CHIEF PLT. THE REGIONAL CHIEF PLT ASSURED ME THE LINE SVC HAD BEEN COMPLETED AND THE ACFT LOG WAS LEGAL. I AGAIN QUESTIONED HOW IT WAS POSSIBLE FOR THE LOGBOOK TO BE LEGAL WITHOUT THE PROPER ENTRIES; AND WAS TOLD IT WAS CONCLUDED THE WORK WAS DONE; IF THERE IS ANY PROB; THEY'LL TAKE THE HIT FOR IT; 'JUST GO!' I ARGUED MY CASE AS FAR AS I DARED. WE WERE 20 MINS BEYOND DEP TIME WITH PAX ALL ON BOARD. IN THE TONE I WAS TOLD TO 'JUST GO' I WAS CONFIDENT THAT HAD I NOT JUST GONE; I WOULD BE TRAVELING TO HEADQUARTERS WHERE I WOULD BE DOING A CARPET DANCE WITH QUESTIONABLE UNION REPRESENTATION. KNOWING I WOULD BE AT THE RECEIVING END OF COMPANY HOSTILITIES; I WENT TO MAUI.
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Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.