Maintenance Powerplant; Maintenance Airframe
Communication Breakdown; Situational Awareness
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural MEL / CDL; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR
General Maintenance Action
Procedure; Manuals; MEL; Aircraft; Human Factors
This is a follow-up report similar to one I filed four months ago. This pertained to door window fogging on B767s and the absence of language in the MEL to identify this condition as unserviceable. The same scenario played out again at ZZZ in August 2013. A B-767 aircraft arrived with the forward Right Cabin Door window completely covered in condensation. Supervisor X explained to me that the Technical Manager approved the condition and issued MEL 56-XX. I told Supervisor X that I would not be a party to the deferral. Our Air Carrier is not taking seriously the [need for] visibility [out] of the door window. This is why MEL 56-XX must be revised to explain fogging and condensation are not permissible.
Reporter stated the B767 Main Cabin Door windows have electric heaters to prevent window fogging and moisture condensation build-up. Although the MEL allows deferral of the heating panels for the window; the real issue is the obscurity; the inability to see out of the window caused by the fogging and condensation build-up on windows from the inoperative window heaters. No indication light comes on in the cockpit when the door window heater fails. Moisture build-up on the door window is the only indication of a malfunction. Otherwise the door window heat is considered to be functioning. Reporter stated FAA representatives and his company's Engineering department all agree that the Cabin door windows must be clear to see out of and that an obscured window is a 'No-Go' item for the aircraft. But the MEL for the door window heat deferral does not have a proviso requiring the window to be clear prior to deferring the item. The B737s do have language in the Aircraft Maintenance Manual (AMM) requiring window replacement due to lack of visibility; but the B767 AMM does not have similar verbiage regarding window obscurity. On the previous incident; the B767 aircraft was pulled out of service to repair the window heater failure. Their B767-300s are used on high valued flights; so the departure pressures on Management are really high. He has been reassigned away from their Line ETOPS departure aircraft and believes this sends the wrong message to other employees when they see safety discrepancies that should be addressed.
A Line Aircraft Maintenance Technician (AMT) reports about his Air Carrier's continued practice of releasing B767-300 aircraft with Main Cabin Door window viewports completely obscured by moisture condensation due to window heater panel failure. No Cabin Door window visibility requirements exists when deferring heat panels under B767 MEL 56-XX.