<< >> NASA ASRS Report 204872, March 1992

Widebody transport takes off with inoperative 'a' ignition which is MEL item for international flight.

Attributes
ACN	204872
Time
Date	199203
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mia
State Reference	FL
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	Widebody, 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 : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 130 flight time total : 8000
ASRS Report	204872
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure non adherence other
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:

Started #1 engine during push back from gate using 'a' ignition. Tried to start #2 -- no start. Switched to 'B' ignition and start normal. I should have returned to gate and had #2 engine 'a' ignition fixed. It is a violation of MEL to depart with only 'B' ignition operative on an international (mia-sju) flight. I guess I was not keyed to check the MEL for legality for dispatch because I didn't consider mia-sju as international. It is. I checked belatedly and found I was in error. Lesson learned (which I should know by now!) always check the MEL when something goes inoperative. Don't assume anything. Our situation was ok for domestic dispatch -- not international.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WDB TAKES OFF WITH INOP 'A' IGNITION WHICH IS MEL ITEM FOR INTL FLT.

Narrative: STARTED #1 ENG DURING PUSH BACK FROM GATE USING 'A' IGNITION. TRIED TO START #2 -- NO START. SWITCHED TO 'B' IGNITION AND START NORMAL. I SHOULD HAVE RETURNED TO GATE AND HAD #2 ENG 'A' IGNITION FIXED. IT IS A VIOLATION OF MEL TO DEPART WITH ONLY 'B' IGNITION OPERATIVE ON AN INTL (MIA-SJU) FLT. I GUESS I WAS NOT KEYED TO CHK THE MEL FOR LEGALITY FOR DISPATCH BECAUSE I DIDN'T CONSIDER MIA-SJU AS INTL. IT IS. I CHKED BELATEDLY AND FOUND I WAS IN ERROR. LESSON LEARNED (WHICH I SHOULD KNOW BY NOW!) ALWAYS CHK THE MEL WHEN SOMETHING GOES INOP. DON'T ASSUME ANYTHING. OUR SITUATION WAS OK FOR DOMESTIC DISPATCH -- NOT INTL.

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.