Air carrier medium large transport made a takeoff at phl without complying with MEL requirement.

Attributes
ACN	194869
Time
Date	199111
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : phl
State Reference	PA
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
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 10800
ASRS Report	194869
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	194574
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Airport
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

During preflight check alternate trim proved to be inoperative. Discrepancy was noted in logbook and maintenance contacted along with dispatch and maintenance control. Maintenance MEL'ed alternate trim system and aircraft was released for flight. After arriving at destination it was brought to our attention that the MEL was illegal due to the fact that the manual portion of the system was also inoperative, therefore the aircraft was operated with an undeferable maintenance item inoperative. Contributing to this situation was the fact that all this took place just 10 mins prior to scheduled departure resulting in a rather cursory glance at the MEL manual and related operational items. Supplemental information from acn 194574: there are 2 relays that operate the motor, and neither of them need to be working to dispatch the airplane (i.e., the trim will be inoperative?) however, the manual alternate trim system must be operative. The problem is, there is no such animal.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG MADE A TKOF AT PHL WITHOUT COMPLYING WITH MEL REQUIREMENT.

Narrative: DURING PREFLT CHK ALTERNATE TRIM PROVED TO BE INOP. DISCREPANCY WAS NOTED IN LOGBOOK AND MAINT CONTACTED ALONG WITH DISPATCH AND MAINT CTL. MAINT MEL'ED ALTERNATE TRIM SYS AND ACFT WAS RELEASED FOR FLT. AFTER ARRIVING AT DEST IT WAS BROUGHT TO OUR ATTN THAT THE MEL WAS ILLEGAL DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE MANUAL PORTION OF THE SYS WAS ALSO INOP, THEREFORE THE ACFT WAS OPERATED WITH AN UNDEFERABLE MAINT ITEM INOPERATIVE. CONTRIBUTING TO THIS SITUATION WAS THE FACT THAT ALL THIS TOOK PLACE JUST 10 MINS PRIOR TO SCHEDULED DEP RESULTING IN A RATHER CURSORY GLANCE AT THE MEL MANUAL AND RELATED OPERATIONAL ITEMS. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 194574: THERE ARE 2 RELAYS THAT OPERATE THE MOTOR, AND NEITHER OF THEM NEED TO BE WORKING TO DISPATCH THE AIRPLANE (I.E., THE TRIM WILL BE INOP?) HOWEVER, THE MANUAL ALTERNATE TRIM SYS MUST BE OPERATIVE. THE PROBLEM IS, THERE IS NO SUCH ANIMAL.

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.