Airbus funny incident
Back in 1995 I heard of an MAS A330 stranded in ADL with an unusual problem. The flight was AOG because of a flap assymmetry problem.
The inbound flight crew had departed KUL with an MEL deferred item pertaining to wing tip breakers which allowed despatch with the proviso the deferred item be fixed within a fixed number of days ( I can't remember the details ).
However when the outbound crew started their preflight, the wing tip breaker system locked out permanently and the station engineer was unable to make head or tail of what caused it despite the direct communication with MAS maintenance base in KUL. Even the Airbus techies stationed in KUL was not of much help. The outbound flight crew returned to their hotel only to meet up with the inbound flight crew who was also puzzled as they had been assured in KUL that the WTB lock out system has been overridden and despatchable for a number of days. Then the inbound captain asked if anybody had messed around with the flight deck clock system. The outbound f/o sheepishly admitted fumbling whilst setting the clock and had reset the f/o side clock after letting the date/month run past sveral months! Apparently the aircraft computers' time base is linked with the flight deck clocks.
Only when they advised the engineering of this that the Airbus techies in KUL realise what the problem was. I don't know how true this incident was but it was brought up in one of the technical meetings pilots had with the engineering boys. Just a little story..............................