B757 flight crew reports receiving a Maintenance Release deferring fuselage dents; only to be informed during taxi that all required maintenance actions have not been completed. The required actions are completed on the taxiway and the flight departs.
Synopsis
B757 flight crew reports receiving a Maintenance Release deferring fuselage dents; only to be informed during taxi that all required maintenance actions have not been completed. The required actions are completed on the taxiway and the flight departs.
Narrative
Maintenance personnel (I think a Supervisor) notified us in the cockpit that maintenance actions were complete [and] that we could expect the Maintenance Release in 5-10 minutes. Since Customer Service was in the cockpit also; the Captain told Customer Service that she could close up the door and pull the jetway. We received clearance to push (no Release yet) and pushed back. The ramp was not congested or busy; so we completed push and waited there for the Release before taxi. After waiting only about 2 minutes; we received the Release; which should signify all maintenance actions complete. We called and received taxi clearance. Taxiing south; I had just selected VHF-1 (ground metering) and deselected VHF-2 (Ramp Control) when MID flight attendant called (Door 2L). She said that a maintenance vehicle was chasing us; trying to get our attention (she apparently got this information from an observant passenger!). I notified the Captain that we should stop. Soon after; we both saw that the vehicle which was off to our left side was going to plug in and talk to us on interphone. However; he actually drove up to the cockpit window to talk; and the Captain opened the window to listen. The Captain meanwhile was speaking to the Maintenance personnel about the problem of sending us a Release without having completed all maintenance actions; whereupon the Maintenance person called the captain a 'dummy'! Besides being unprofessional; this personal attack on the captain added irritation to an already frustrating and confusing situation!
Second reporter narrative
Upon arrival at aircraft; observed note on Captain's clipboard 'Maintenance Release not available due to: Dent aft of door 4L'. Maintenance Supervisor entered cockpit approximately 15 minutes prior to push; informed me of situation and said we had 'a team of mechanics working on the issue; but that we would probably be delayed'. Maintenance Supervisor entered cockpit; said item would be deferred and that new Release would be coming to ACARS printer. Gate agent checked with me; closed door and we pushed back; started left engine; and then sat for approximately 2-3 minutes until new Release arrived. [We] taxied out single engine. During this time; Flight Attendant at door 2L was informed by passenger that a vehicle was flashing its lights; waving arms trying to get our attention; and flight attendant called cockpit. Approximately the same time; Ramp called and told me to stop aircraft and that we had a 'maintenance issue'. I stopped aircraft; noticed a scissor-lift vehicle off to left side of aircraft and it finally approached Captain's window after approximately 2 minutes and ascended to Captain's window. I opened window and individual informed me that they needed to 'mark the dents' and to shut down left engine which we did. My concerns are that: 1) Maintenance issued Release without completing the required work. 2) Mechanic followed non-standard method of trying to get me to stop aircraft even though I had salute/release from guidance and could not have seen the vehicle as it was dark; the vehicle was situated off left wing; and I was concentrating on area in front of aircraft as I was taxiing.3) Mechanic's lack of respect for Captain's position and unprofessional behavior berating me for not stopping the aircraft even though I could not see any other vehicles in the aircraft vicinity. This was a very bad situation all around and could have seriously impacted operations had it occurred during a busy bank rather than late at night with minimal inbound/outbound traffic.
More incidents for this aircraft family →
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.