Commuter light transport continued to operate with wrong MEL writeup.

Attributes
ACN	186651
Time
Date	199108
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : apc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 2960 flight time type : 1850
ASRS Report	186651
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Airport
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

This aircraft had been written up for an engine oil pressure warning indication on the central warning panel in jul, 1991. Maintenance determined the warning to be erroneous, labeling it a CAT C item (repair in 10 days). In the early morning I missed the small red sticker that placard for the central warning panel. It was not till later during the first leg that I noticed the placard and remembered flying this aircraft early in the week with the same problem. I then compared the maintenance clipboard and the CAT C deferral to the MEL which showed that the deferral should have been a CAT B (repair in 3 days). I pointed this out to the captain and maintenance was called on the return leg. Upon our arrival the aircraft was grounded for repair.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER LTT CONTINUED TO OPERATE WITH WRONG MEL WRITEUP.

Narrative: THIS ACFT HAD BEEN WRITTEN UP FOR AN ENG OIL PRESSURE WARNING INDICATION ON THE CENTRAL WARNING PANEL IN JUL, 1991. MAINT DETERMINED THE WARNING TO BE ERRONEOUS, LABELING IT A CAT C ITEM (REPAIR IN 10 DAYS). IN THE EARLY MORNING I MISSED THE SMALL RED STICKER THAT PLACARD FOR THE CENTRAL WARNING PANEL. IT WAS NOT TILL LATER DURING THE FIRST LEG THAT I NOTICED THE PLACARD AND REMEMBERED FLYING THIS ACFT EARLY IN THE WK WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. I THEN COMPARED THE MAINT CLIPBOARD AND THE CAT C DEFERRAL TO THE MEL WHICH SHOWED THAT THE DEFERRAL SHOULD HAVE BEEN A CAT B (REPAIR IN 3 DAYS). I POINTED THIS OUT TO THE CAPT AND MAINT WAS CALLED ON THE RETURN LEG. UPON OUR ARR THE ACFT WAS GNDED FOR REPAIR.

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.