Reporter alleges aircraft not legal for flight dispatch per company MEL.

Attributes
ACN	164406
Time
Date	199011
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mia
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 8000
ASRS Report	164406
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

This model large transport has two identical altimeters on capts instrument panel. Aircraft was dispatched with 'normal' altimeter inoperative. Sed (standby) was operational and air data computer was switched to operate on this second altimeter. This is the only model that this airline operates (out of 16 different types) that has this altimeter confign. Flight operated first officer incident. Upon further research, this dispatch was not proper. Even though both altimeters are identical, the 'normal' altimeter is a required item.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: REPORTER ALLEGES ACFT NOT LEGAL FOR FLT DISPATCH PER COMPANY MEL.

Narrative: THIS MODEL LGT HAS TWO IDENTICAL ALTIMETERS ON CAPTS INSTRUMENT PANEL. ACFT WAS DISPATCHED WITH 'NORMAL' ALTIMETER INOP. SED (STANDBY) WAS OPERATIONAL AND AIR DATA COMPUTER WAS SWITCHED TO OPERATE ON THIS SEC ALTIMETER. THIS IS THE ONLY MODEL THAT THIS AIRLINE OPERATES (OUT OF 16 DIFFERENT TYPES) THAT HAS THIS ALTIMETER CONFIGN. FLT OPERATED F/O INCIDENT. UPON FURTHER RESEARCH, THIS DISPATCH WAS NOT PROPER. EVEN THOUGH BOTH ALTIMETERS ARE IDENTICAL, THE 'NORMAL' ALTIMETER IS A REQUIRED ITEM.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.