Air carrier with start switch problem, an MEL item, departs using temporary fix.

Attributes
ACN	184585
Time
Date	199107
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bur
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 5900 flight time type : 1350
ASRS Report	184585
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 7500 flight time type : 4100
ASRS Report	183963
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

During engine start of the #1 engine it was noticed that the start switch would not engage. The start valve circuit breaker was popped. It was reset and a start attempt was again tried. Company mechanic was called. They called a contract mechanic person. The captain then troubleshot the problem with instructions from company mechanic. We discovered that the start switch in the cockpit was the problem. When the contract mechanic person arrived he talked to our company mechanic and then we started the engine by manually opening the start valve. We called for and received a new release time from company dispatcher. Neither we, nor the dispatcher thought to consult the MEL at that time. The contract mechanic person signed off the write-up and we flew to a station with the part to be fixed. We consulted the MEL the next morning and discovered the switch would be required to aid an in-flight restart in a number of cases. The captain talked with mechanic at least 3 times, I talked to dispatch for a new release time with no mention at any time about the MEL. We had kept the passengers and company informed and had completed the required maintenance, but forgot inadvertently to consult the MEL. I will always remember to consult it now. Supplemental information from acn 183963. In looking back there were several contributing factors: I did not take advantage of the experience available to me in my well qualified first officer, poor cockpit resource management. Assuming maintenance control was keeping dispatch informed of the problem. If they were I would never have been issued a new release time since dispatch was impossible.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR WITH START SWITCH PROBLEM, AN MEL ITEM, DEPARTS USING TEMPORARY FIX.

Narrative: DURING ENG START OF THE #1 ENG IT WAS NOTICED THAT THE START SWITCH WOULD NOT ENGAGE. THE START VALVE CIRCUIT BREAKER WAS POPPED. IT WAS RESET AND A START ATTEMPT WAS AGAIN TRIED. COMPANY MECH WAS CALLED. THEY CALLED A CONTRACT MECH PERSON. THE CAPT THEN TROUBLESHOT THE PROBLEM WITH INSTRUCTIONS FROM COMPANY MECH. WE DISCOVERED THAT THE START SWITCH IN THE COCKPIT WAS THE PROBLEM. WHEN THE CONTRACT MECH PERSON ARRIVED HE TALKED TO OUR COMPANY MECH AND THEN WE STARTED THE ENG BY MANUALLY OPENING THE START VALVE. WE CALLED FOR AND RECEIVED A NEW RELEASE TIME FROM COMPANY DISPATCHER. NEITHER WE, NOR THE DISPATCHER THOUGHT TO CONSULT THE MEL AT THAT TIME. THE CONTRACT MECH PERSON SIGNED OFF THE WRITE-UP AND WE FLEW TO A STATION WITH THE PART TO BE FIXED. WE CONSULTED THE MEL THE NEXT MORNING AND DISCOVERED THE SWITCH WOULD BE REQUIRED TO AID AN INFLT RESTART IN A NUMBER OF CASES. THE CAPT TALKED WITH MECH AT LEAST 3 TIMES, I TALKED TO DISPATCH FOR A NEW RELEASE TIME WITH NO MENTION AT ANY TIME ABOUT THE MEL. WE HAD KEPT THE PAXS AND COMPANY INFORMED AND HAD COMPLETED THE REQUIRED MAINT, BUT FORGOT INADVERTENTLY TO CONSULT THE MEL. I WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER TO CONSULT IT NOW. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 183963. IN LOOKING BACK THERE WERE SEVERAL CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: I DID NOT TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE EXPERIENCE AVAILABLE TO ME IN MY WELL QUALIFIED FO, POOR COCKPIT RESOURCE MGMNT. ASSUMING MAINT CTL WAS KEEPING DISPATCH INFORMED OF THE PROBLEM. IF THEY WERE I WOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN ISSUED A NEW RELEASE TIME SINCE DISPATCH WAS IMPOSSIBLE.

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.