Dc-8 cargo aircraft dispatched on overwater flight with inoperative standby compass.

Attributes
ACN	275264
Time
Date	199406
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sdf
State Reference	KY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 33000 msl bound upper : 33000
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zid
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-8 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise other
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 : 15000 flight time type : 4500
ASRS Report	275264
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical 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:

Due to miscom in company paperwork, we operated long range navigation overwater with inoperative standby compass. Company information sheet showed compass had 11 degree error from INS units. I did not realize the compass was inoperative, due to needing a compass swing. Operating the aircraft in this manner required ATC radar contact to be within our MEL requirements. I should have made closer check in logbook. Company dispatch should have not sent this aircraft on this routing with this problem.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DC-8 CARGO ACFT DISPATCHED ON OVERWATER FLT WITH INOP STANDBY COMPASS.

Narrative: DUE TO MISCOM IN COMPANY PAPERWORK, WE OPERATED LONG RANGE NAV OVERWATER WITH INOP STANDBY COMPASS. COMPANY INFO SHEET SHOWED COMPASS HAD 11 DEG ERROR FROM INS UNITS. I DID NOT REALIZE THE COMPASS WAS INOP, DUE TO NEEDING A COMPASS SWING. OPERATING THE ACFT IN THIS MANNER REQUIRED ATC RADAR CONTACT TO BE WITHIN OUR MEL REQUIREMENTS. I SHOULD HAVE MADE CLOSER CHK IN LOGBOOK. COMPANY DISPATCH SHOULD HAVE NOT SENT THIS ACFT ON THIS ROUTING WITH THIS PROB.

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.