Dash 8-100
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Situational Awareness; Confusion; Communication Breakdown; Troubleshooting
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Maintenance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
General Maintenance Action
Aircraft; Human Factors
We arrived at the DHC-8-100 aircraft to fly ZZZ-ZZZ1. During the originating preflight; I discovered the Number 1 [Engine] wheel well completely wet with some type of fluid. We had fluid dripping on tires; dripping off of the AC [electrical] contactor box; Proximity Switch Electronics Unit (PSEU); gear strut; uplocks. The [left main] gear doors inside were completely wet and dripping as well as from the back of the [wheel] well where the gear pins would be placed. I alerted my Captain to come take a look. He called Maintenance Control to discuss the matter. He spoke with Controller X in Maintenance Control. Controller X was a bit argumentative with the Captain; stating the aircraft could not leak that much; that it was not possible. The Captain asserted the position that it was and needed to be looked at. Controller X stated that there was no history on the aircraft. Controller X finally relented and called Contract Maintenance. Contract Maintenance arrived about an hour later. The Mechanic even said; 'Holy crap; I've never seen a Dash leak this much'. With the Mechanic's inspection; he felt the leak was coming from one of the pressurized [hydraulic] lines for the gear uplocks. A runup was conducted. Since there was no history; the decision was made to ferry. The Mechanic stated that since there was no history; he would sign the Ferry Permit and we were to ferry 'Gear Down'. When we got to the hangar in ZZZ2; I pulled the gear doors to look inside. I exited the aircraft to find five mechanics looking at the wheel well; shaking their heads. They stated they couldn't believe we flew it with a history of this problem. It was written up in the maintenance computer on Oct 2013 in ZZZ3. I responded with; 'We weren't told of a history.' At that point I went back into the airplane where the Captain was gathering our stuff and explained that apparently there was a history. The Captain came out to speak with the mechanics. One of the mechanics took him over to the [Maintenance] Computer System to show him the record. It was the same issue; very last entry in the maintenance computer. Upon arrival in ZZZ2; and the discovery of a history on this aircraft; the Captain called Controller X in Maintenance Control and questioned him. Controller X then states; 'Oh; I was looking at the wrong aircraft record when you called.' When Controller X realized he was being called out for this; he changed his story and said he discovered his mistake and told Contract Maintenance when he was on the phone with them. This cannot be the case because at no time did Controller X ever call the Contract Mechanic back on the phone. More importantly; the Maintenance Contract guy specifically stated he was only signing the Ferry Permit since it didn't have a history when the three of us discussed it in the cockpit. Controller X in Maintenance Control purposely omitted critical information so that a ferry flight would be conducted.There are serious issues with this event. Trust must be guaranteed between the Captain; crew and Maintenance. I would have never agreed to a ferry if this information was known. In talking with other pilots; I am told that this is common practice with Controller X. If you want to avoid a recurrence of this type of event; you simply don't ferry unless you know you have accurate information and can trust who you're talking to. Aircraft was in-service at the gate. Non-revenue flight.
A First Officer describes how the Captain on their DHC-8-100 aircraft was misled by a Maintenance Controller to fly their aircraft under a Ferry Permit in a 'Gear Down' configuration. First Officer had discovered hydraulic fluid dripping off of the AC (electrical) Contactor Box; Proximity Switch Electronic Unit (PSEU); gear struts and uplocks in the Number 1 Engine wheel well.