Widebody transport flight crew departs with observer audio panel inoperative. Part of required MEL.

Attributes
ACN	195329
Time
Date	199111
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
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	Widebody Transport
Flight Phase	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 : 200 flight time total : 20000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	195329
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Immediately after gate departure experienced a problem with #1 VHF communications radio. Maintenance promptly came on board and replaced same. No luck. At this time I happened to notice the observer's seat audio selector panel selected to transmit VHF #1. Upon releasing selector out, our problem was cured and we departed. Upon arrival at destination, we wrote up the observer's panel as faulty. I later discovered that the observer's audio selector panel is a required MEL item. I have a hard time understanding this on a 2 pilot airplane, but I erred.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WDB FLC DEPARTS WITH OBSERVER AUDIO PANEL INOP. PART OF REQUIRED MEL.

Narrative: IMMEDIATELY AFTER GATE DEP EXPERIENCED A PROBLEM WITH #1 VHF COMS RADIO. MAINT PROMPTLY CAME ON BOARD AND REPLACED SAME. NO LUCK. AT THIS TIME I HAPPENED TO NOTICE THE OBSERVER'S SEAT AUDIO SELECTOR PANEL SELECTED TO XMIT VHF #1. UPON RELEASING SELECTOR OUT, OUR PROBLEM WAS CURED AND WE DEPARTED. UPON ARR AT DEST, WE WROTE UP THE OBSERVER'S PANEL AS FAULTY. I LATER DISCOVERED THAT THE OBSERVER'S AUDIO SELECTOR PANEL IS A REQUIRED MEL ITEM. I HAVE A HARD TIME UNDERSTANDING THIS ON A 2 PLT AIRPLANE, BUT I ERRED.

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.