Date: 202002
Aircraft: B767 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Mission: Passenger
Flight phase: Parked
Aircraft component: ILS/VOR
Component problem: Malfunctioning
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: Captain
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Human factors: Troubleshooting; Workload; Confusion; Time Pressure; Training / Qualification
Anomaly: Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Detector: Person Flight Crew
When detected: In-flight
Result: General Maintenance Action
Contributing factors: Human Factors; Aircraft
Primary problem: Human Factors

Narrative: Enroute I identified a mechanical defect on the LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) display of the Captains VOR/DME (Omnidirectional Range/Distance Measuring Equipment) control panel on this aircraft. I entered the item into the ACARS reporting screen and sent it. We left the aircraft at customs and I assumed it would be fixed. Unknown to me at the time; the mechanic who addressed this defect signed it off as a 'FALSE DISCREPANCY'. I simply cannot understand this as I clearly described the defect; where it was located; etc.The next day; I was scheduled and did fly the same aircraft. Shortly after arriving in the flight deck; I noticed the Captains VOR/DME panel was still not repaired. I looked at the log history and found the mechanic previous day (don't know who it is); did nothing and signed it off. I entered the item again; and called Maintenance.[Maintenance] came to the flight deck; looked at it; and informed us that it was indeed defective; and was not deferrable because it was powered by the STANDBY Bus. It took them about an hour to procure a replacement and defer a wheel well fire indicator; they did a great job. Generated the MRD and we left very late. However we arrived a few minutes early in [destination].I can only find two explanations for this.Either the mechanic who signed it off on the [first date] was either intentionally signing it off without repairing it; or could not locate the item; and was looking at another LCD indicator and found it normal. In one case this is a training competence issue; the other an attitude of non compliance. Both of these are disturbing to me as a pilot. Also interesting is that the aircraft was flown to [country] and back between the two flights I operated it; with no report then either.After it was properly repaired; we departed.It is really all too unfortunate that the mechanic who signed this off on the [first day] did not repair the defect when the aircraft had 3 hours of ground time.Because of this mechanic; we incurred a lengthy delay; and then had to burn thousands of dollars of extra fuel to get our passengers to [destination] on time.So; in conclusion; not only did this caused a lengthy delay on the [second day]; caused many dollars of extra fuel to be burned that would have been unnecessary; but also generates an incident of non compliance with the federal air regulations that most likely needs to be self reported.




Synopsis: Flight crew reported after writing up an inop aircraft avionics component; Maintenance failed to repair it prior to next days departure resulting in lengthy delay.