Narrative:

The captain departing the aircraft had called ahead and notified maintenance of an airspeed indicator sticking. The maintenance man told me they did not have a replacement part and they were going to defer it according to the MEL. I reviewed the MEL and wrongly interpreted it as applying to the writeup of 'airspeed indicator sticks.' the MEL was for the mach indicator. The problem was caused by power of suggestion that the MEL applied to this writeup. The problem was discovered on jan/fri/94 when another company pilot informed me of my error. The problem may have been caught in the beginning if I had consulted with maintenance control, dispatch, and my first officer. Maybe between the 4 different people, a correct decision would have been made.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR MLG CREW FLEW AN ACFT WITH ONLY 1 AIRSPD INDICATOR WORKING PROPERLY.

Narrative: THE CAPT DEPARTING THE ACFT HAD CALLED AHEAD AND NOTIFIED MAINT OF AN AIRSPD INDICATOR STICKING. THE MAINT MAN TOLD ME THEY DID NOT HAVE A REPLACEMENT PART AND THEY WERE GOING TO DEFER IT ACCORDING TO THE MEL. I REVIEWED THE MEL AND WRONGLY INTERPRETED IT AS APPLYING TO THE WRITEUP OF 'AIRSPD INDICATOR STICKS.' THE MEL WAS FOR THE MACH INDICATOR. THE PROB WAS CAUSED BY PWR OF SUGGESTION THAT THE MEL APPLIED TO THIS WRITEUP. THE PROB WAS DISCOVERED ON JAN/FRI/94 WHEN ANOTHER COMPANY PLT INFORMED ME OF MY ERROR. THE PROB MAY HAVE BEEN CAUGHT IN THE BEGINNING IF I HAD CONSULTED WITH MAINT CTL, DISPATCH, AND MY FO. MAYBE BTWN THE 4 DIFFERENT PEOPLE, A CORRECT DECISION WOULD HAVE BEEN MADE.

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.