Narrative:

Aircraft J31 was signed off with the 'door' caution light deferred. An airworthiness directive in the MEL states 'aircraft may not depart a maintenance base where repairs can be made.' iad, the departure airport, is a maintenance base. However, there was no part available to fix the problem. We were told we could fly to lyh (also a maintenance base) and the problem could be fixed there. Safety of flight was not at stake and we went. At lyh the mechanic said they couldn't fix it and it shouldn't have left iad as per the airworthiness directive. There were conflicting interps on the airworthiness directive. Both sounded reasonable. For future reference, our airline needs to seek an (one) official interpretation and do only that. Not what suits them on that day!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER ACFT SIGNED OFF ON MAINT WITH DOOR LIGHT DEFERRED. THIS GOES AGAINST THE AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE IN THE MEL.

Narrative: ACFT J31 WAS SIGNED OFF WITH THE 'DOOR' CAUTION LIGHT DEFERRED. AN AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE IN THE MEL STATES 'ACFT MAY NOT DEPART A MAINT BASE WHERE REPAIRS CAN BE MADE.' IAD, THE DEP ARPT, IS A MAINT BASE. HOWEVER, THERE WAS NO PART AVAILABLE TO FIX THE PROB. WE WERE TOLD WE COULD FLY TO LYH (ALSO A MAINT BASE) AND THE PROB COULD BE FIXED THERE. SAFETY OF FLT WAS NOT AT STAKE AND WE WENT. AT LYH THE MECH SAID THEY COULDN'T FIX IT AND IT SHOULDN'T HAVE LEFT IAD AS PER THE AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE. THERE WERE CONFLICTING INTERPS ON THE AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE. BOTH SOUNDED REASONABLE. FOR FUTURE REF, OUR AIRLINE NEEDS TO SEEK AN (ONE) OFFICIAL INTERP AND DO ONLY THAT. NOT WHAT SUITS THEM ON THAT DAY!

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.