A320
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 276; Flight Crew Total 15400; Flight Crew Type 6565
Communication Breakdown; Confusion; Troubleshooting; Situational Awareness
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural MEL / CDL
General Release Refused / Aircraft Not Accepted; General Maintenance Action; General Flight Cancelled / Delayed
Aircraft; Human Factors; Logbook Entry; MEL; Procedure
This A320 aircraft had a Deferral (DF) with the narrative of the Green System Hydraulic Pump cockpit switch [was] inoperative (inop); in that it could not turn off the Green System Hydraulic pump. It had been DF'd a few days prior in ZZZ1. Since the Green System pump is a major aircraft system and the ability to turn it off; directly affects the ability to carry numerous Green Sys fault checklists; I was concerned with the DF. A call to Maintenance Control to question the Deferral (DF) led to my call to the Dispatch Desk to refuse the Aircraft. If the [Green] System lost [hydraulic] fluid the pump was uncontrollable and I felt this could lead to catastrophic results in relation to Engine-1. Further questioning of Maintenance Control led me to believe that the MEL used for the DF had been fairly loosely translated to apply to this malfunction. The gate Mechanic said the switch was not the problem; but the actual solenoid on the [Engine Driven Hydraulic] pump itself. From start to end of this event; I could not fathom why this Aircraft had been DF'd at all. As Maintenance Control said later; glad we [flight crew] caught it before an airborne incident happened. I couldn't agree more.
A Captain questions Maintenance Control about their deferral of a cockpit control switch for Number 1 Engine's Green Hydraulic System Engine Driven Pump (EDP) on an A320 aircraft. Captain noted that if the Green System lost hydraulic fluid; the pump would be uncontrollable and the inability to turn off the pump affects the ability to carry numerous Green System fault checklists.