An obfuscation in the MEL almost grounds an aircraft.

Attributes
ACN	281400
Time
Date	199408
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord
State Reference	IL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	281400
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Chart Or Publication
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

The E-6 logbook had a E-693 placard of MEL 78-01A l-hand reverser inoperative. On the spoiler handle and on the automatic brake lever there were 2 small inoperative stickers on them with the words inoperative on takeoff. Nowhere in the MEL manual or E-6 logbook did it say these were or should be inoperative or not used. I called technicians and they said the mpm 78-01 refers to placing those placards on those items. Local ord maintenance gave me the same response. MEL 78-01A does not say anything about those 2 placards. Also MEL 78-01A does not have any weight penalty but MEL 28-8 for automatic spoilers does have a weight penalty. I could not get maintenance to give me an e- 693 placard for those 2 items -- spoiler or automatic brakes - - nor would maintenance add any writing on the E-693 placard about not using the automatic spoiler or automatic brakes on takeoff. I went ahead and took the airplane because all items in MEL 78-01A were covered and the automatic spoiler system and automatic brakes were actually not inoperative. Technicians told me there was a revision coming out to correct this.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN OBFUSCATION IN THE MEL ALMOST GNDS AN ACFT.

Narrative: THE E-6 LOGBOOK HAD A E-693 PLACARD OF MEL 78-01A L-HAND REVERSER INOP. ON THE SPOILER HANDLE AND ON THE AUTO BRAKE LEVER THERE WERE 2 SMALL INOP STICKERS ON THEM WITH THE WORDS INOP ON TKOF. NOWHERE IN THE MEL MANUAL OR E-6 LOGBOOK DID IT SAY THESE WERE OR SHOULD BE INOP OR NOT USED. I CALLED TECHNICIANS AND THEY SAID THE MPM 78-01 REFERS TO PLACING THOSE PLACARDS ON THOSE ITEMS. LCL ORD MAINT GAVE ME THE SAME RESPONSE. MEL 78-01A DOES NOT SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THOSE 2 PLACARDS. ALSO MEL 78-01A DOES NOT HAVE ANY WT PENALTY BUT MEL 28-8 FOR AUTO SPOILERS DOES HAVE A WT PENALTY. I COULD NOT GET MAINT TO GIVE ME AN E- 693 PLACARD FOR THOSE 2 ITEMS -- SPOILER OR AUTO BRAKES - - NOR WOULD MAINT ADD ANY WRITING ON THE E-693 PLACARD ABOUT NOT USING THE AUTO SPOILER OR AUTO BRAKES ON TKOF. I WENT AHEAD AND TOOK THE AIRPLANE BECAUSE ALL ITEMS IN MEL 78-01A WERE COVERED AND THE AUTO SPOILER SYS AND AUTO BRAKES WERE ACTUALLY NOT INOP. TECHNICIANS TOLD ME THERE WAS A REVISION COMING OUT TO CORRECT THIS.

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.