B767 flight crew refuses an aircraft for an over water flight due to MEL's for center tank fuel quantity; HDG; HPSOV; and a hydraulic warning light for the left system; resulting in flight cancellation.
Synopsis
B767 flight crew refuses an aircraft for an over water flight due to MEL's for center tank fuel quantity; HDG; HPSOV; and a hydraulic warning light for the left system; resulting in flight cancellation.
Narrative
Starting well before departure time we became aware that our flight would be significantly delayed due to mechanical discrepancies with the in bound aircraft. Dispatch confirmed that the outbound flight would consist of a planned fuel stop due to MEL item involving the Center Fuel Tank Quantity Indicating System. Further inquiry revealed multiple MEL items; none of them trivial. On arrival at aircraft; inbound crew confirmed MEL items including aforementioned fuel quantity indicator; HPSOV; right thrust reverser; HDG; and hydraulic quantity indications. Crew also noted un-anticipated deviations in total fuel quantity indications and difficulty keeping a reliable fuel log. Route to fuel stop was planned at FL290 due to forecast moderate turbulence; and inbound crew confirmed they were unable to find other than moderate turbulence at any altitude. Weather at destination called for low ceilings; with freezing precipitation in the arrival and terminal areas. Given the already-delayed departure time; night operations; turbulence forecast and reported enroute; forecast weather at the final destination; and immediate departure into an ETOPS environment with multiple unrelated but significant MEL items; the crew elected to forgo the strictly LEGAL option of imperiling 234 souls; and chose instead the eminently SMARTER and SAFER option of refusing to continue the operation.
Second reporter narrative
Our flight was significantly delayed due to mechanical problems with our aircraft. This particular aircraft left with a planned fuel stop due to a fuel quantity indication problem with the center tank. Our flight was also planned with a fuel stop because of the fuel gauge problem. The aircraft arrived with multiple MEL problems. In addition to the center fuel quantity indicator being inoperative the HPSOV valve on the right engine was also placarded inoperative. Closing the valve on the HPSOV renders the thrust reverser on that side inoperative as well. According to the MEL the hydraulic generator operation is also affected by the valve being inoperative as well. With this situation the engine anti-ice is affected by requiring higher power settings above 10;000 FT and below in order to work properly. The other MEL item on the aircraft was a hydraulic light on the left system.I talked to the inbound crew and they reported unanticipated deviations in total fuel quantity indications and because of this created a problem with keeping a reliable fuel log. The route to the fuel stop was planned at FL290 due to moderate turbulence and the inbound crew confirmed they were unable to find an altitude with less than moderate turbulence. The weather at destination was forecast at our arrival for low ceilings and freezing precipitation in the arrival and terminal areas.After carefully considering these issues that we were confronted with such as: Very late departure time; night operations; mechanical problems; forecast and reported turbulence; snow and icing weather at the destination airport; flight during an ETOPS environment with multiple MEL items on the aircraft. I as Captain after consulting with my fellow cockpit crew members and the Local Mechanics and a Maintenance Supervisor elected to not take this particular aircraft on a long over water flight. I felt that although we were technically legal for the flight it was unwise to try to deal with so many issues such as weather; mechanical problems; and the addition of crew fatigue due to the late departure and a very long and stressful duty day.
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Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.