Non compliance with MEL requirements.

Attributes
ACN	205688
Time
Date	199203
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mso
State Reference	MT
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dawn
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	climbout : takeoff ground : preflight ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 170 flight time total : 8100 flight time type : 250
ASRS Report	205688
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

The inbound crew, the evening before entered into the aircraft logbook, TCASII inoperative. I arrived the next morning to work the next leg. Missoula is a non-maintenance station for our operations. I telephoned maintenance coordinator and flight control to send me a teletype authorization form to depart with the inoperative TCASII system, in accordance with sops. The MEL stated that the system be deactivated in accordance with maintenance procedures. Being missoula is a non-maintenance station, I decided to leave the system off. But on initial preflight, the TCASII system tested normal in accordance with manufacturer test procedures. We departed and on departure, I decided to check the system en route to give the next maintenance station, data showing the system working, so the write up could be cleared from the logbook. En route the TCASII worked perfect. An FAA maintenance inspector was riding jump seat, and after landing informed me that I had not complied with the MEL, because the system was to be deactivated! At block in, maintenance performed a bite test, and the TCASII worked perfect! Chain of events: problem arose -- inbound flight crew. Contributing factors: non-maintenance station. How discovered: logbook open write up. Corrective actions: authorized maintenance release teletype. Human performance considerations: judgements, decisions -- system tested normal on preflight, decided to check en route to help next maintenance station clear write up. Corrective actions: pilot will comply fully with MEL, even if 'off' system is testing and operating normally.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NON COMPLIANCE WITH MEL REQUIREMENTS.

Narrative: THE INBOUND CREW, THE EVENING BEFORE ENTERED INTO THE ACFT LOGBOOK, TCASII INOP. I ARRIVED THE NEXT MORNING TO WORK THE NEXT LEG. MISSOULA IS A NON-MAINT STATION FOR OUR OPS. I TELEPHONED MAINT COORDINATOR AND FLT CTL TO SEND ME A TELETYPE AUTHORIZATION FORM TO DEPART WITH THE INOP TCASII SYS, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SOPS. THE MEL STATED THAT THE SYS BE DEACTIVATED IN ACCORDANCE WITH MAINT PROCS. BEING MISSOULA IS A NON-MAINT STATION, I DECIDED TO LEAVE THE SYS OFF. BUT ON INITIAL PREFLT, THE TCASII SYS TESTED NORMAL IN ACCORDANCE WITH MANUFACTURER TEST PROCS. WE DEPARTED AND ON DEP, I DECIDED TO CHK THE SYS ENRTE TO GIVE THE NEXT MAINT STATION, DATA SHOWING THE SYS WORKING, SO THE WRITE UP COULD BE CLRED FROM THE LOGBOOK. ENRTE THE TCASII WORKED PERFECT. AN FAA MAINT INSPECTOR WAS RIDING JUMP SEAT, AND AFTER LNDG INFORMED ME THAT I HAD NOT COMPLIED WITH THE MEL, BECAUSE THE SYS WAS TO BE DEACTIVATED! AT BLOCK IN, MAINT PERFORMED A BITE TEST, AND THE TCASII WORKED PERFECT! CHAIN OF EVENTS: PROBLEM AROSE -- INBOUND FLC. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: NON-MAINT STATION. HOW DISCOVERED: LOGBOOK OPEN WRITE UP. CORRECTIVE ACTIONS: AUTHORIZED MAINT RELEASE TELETYPE. HUMAN PERFORMANCE CONSIDERATIONS: JUDGEMENTS, DECISIONS -- SYS TESTED NORMAL ON PREFLT, DECIDED TO CHK ENRTE TO HELP NEXT MAINT STATION CLR WRITE UP. CORRECTIVE ACTIONS: PLT WILL COMPLY FULLY WITH MEL, EVEN IF 'OFF' SYS IS TESTING AND OPERATING NORMALLY.

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.