Flight crew is confused when reviewing their MEL.

Attributes
ACN	112773
Time
Date	198906
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : pit
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Transport
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 280 flight time total : 8200 flight time type : 2600
ASRS Report	112773
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : far non adherence other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I received aircraft from previous captain with flap gauge inoperative. MEL requires that inboard nacelles and flap bottoms be marked to determine flap setting visually. I read the MEL too quickly and did not notice the 'south' on nacelle, and thought that it was okay to go with just one marked (as was the case). The first officer checked that the flaps were symmetrical from behind the aircraft each leg. The next day I discovered my error. In some cases I think the MEL program is out of hand. Maximum of 10 days? Sure, unless parts cannot be 'found' to fix the item, then quality control can contact the FAA and get an indefinite extension of the MEL. In my case, mechanics had signed off the MEL, I received the aircraft in the middle of the next day, and stupidly did not read the MEL carefully enough (the aircraft had multiple MEL items, one of which was an inoperative propeller RPM and gauge, which took most of my attention as I was amazed that any propeller RPM gauge could be MEL'ed).

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW IS CONFUSED WHEN REVIEWING THEIR MEL.

Narrative: I RECEIVED ACFT FROM PREVIOUS CAPT WITH FLAP GAUGE INOP. MEL REQUIRES THAT INBOARD NACELLES AND FLAP BOTTOMS BE MARKED TO DETERMINE FLAP SETTING VISUALLY. I READ THE MEL TOO QUICKLY AND DID NOT NOTICE THE 'S' ON NACELLE, AND THOUGHT THAT IT WAS OKAY TO GO WITH JUST ONE MARKED (AS WAS THE CASE). THE F/O CHECKED THAT THE FLAPS WERE SYMMETRICAL FROM BEHIND THE ACFT EACH LEG. THE NEXT DAY I DISCOVERED MY ERROR. IN SOME CASES I THINK THE MEL PROGRAM IS OUT OF HAND. MAXIMUM OF 10 DAYS? SURE, UNLESS PARTS CANNOT BE 'FOUND' TO FIX THE ITEM, THEN QUALITY CONTROL CAN CONTACT THE FAA AND GET AN INDEFINITE EXTENSION OF THE MEL. IN MY CASE, MECHANICS HAD SIGNED OFF THE MEL, I RECEIVED THE ACFT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NEXT DAY, AND STUPIDLY DID NOT READ THE MEL CAREFULLY ENOUGH (THE ACFT HAD MULTIPLE MEL ITEMS, ONE OF WHICH WAS AN INOP PROP RPM AND GAUGE, WHICH TOOK MOST OF MY ATTN AS I WAS AMAZED THAT ANY PROP RPM GAUGE COULD BE MEL'ED).

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.