MEL requirements violated, unintentionally. Aircraft equipment problem.

Attributes
ACN	291057
Time
Date	199412
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sap
State Reference	FO
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : pbi
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : preflight other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	291057
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation
Situations
Publication	Unspecified

Narrative:

After pushout -- while starting #3 -- the start valve circuit breaker popped twice. We referred to the operations manual for the procedure which concludes with -- make information to maintenance -- entry in the E6. All of us had done this procedure before, so we knew to flight crew placard it airborne. In cruise, we referred to the MEL for the correct format and reference # and there we discovered that it was no longer flight crew placardable and we should have had maintenance clear the book before departure. I am guilty. But, tell me this again. You wanted me to go back to the parking area after we finally got all 3 running and let the maintenance get on. Then, how would we get back out of the congested area without hooking the tug back up and getting pushed. We did not mean to make the error, but I can see some real problems with the new requirement if the aircraft is pushed very far from the gate prior to start, which is not uncommon.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MEL REQUIREMENTS VIOLATED, UNINTENTIONALLY. ACFT EQUIP PROB.

Narrative: AFTER PUSHOUT -- WHILE STARTING #3 -- THE START VALVE CB POPPED TWICE. WE REFERRED TO THE OPS MANUAL FOR THE PROC WHICH CONCLUDES WITH -- MAKE INFO TO MAINT -- ENTRY IN THE E6. ALL OF US HAD DONE THIS PROC BEFORE, SO WE KNEW TO FLC PLACARD IT AIRBORNE. IN CRUISE, WE REFERRED TO THE MEL FOR THE CORRECT FORMAT AND REF # AND THERE WE DISCOVERED THAT IT WAS NO LONGER FLC PLACARDABLE AND WE SHOULD HAVE HAD MAINT CLR THE BOOK BEFORE DEP. I AM GUILTY. BUT, TELL ME THIS AGAIN. YOU WANTED ME TO GO BACK TO THE PARKING AREA AFTER WE FINALLY GOT ALL 3 RUNNING AND LET THE MAINT GET ON. THEN, HOW WOULD WE GET BACK OUT OF THE CONGESTED AREA WITHOUT HOOKING THE TUG BACK UP AND GETTING PUSHED. WE DID NOT MEAN TO MAKE THE ERROR, BUT I CAN SEE SOME REAL PROBS WITH THE NEW REQUIREMENT IF THE ACFT IS PUSHED VERY FAR FROM THE GATE PRIOR TO START, WHICH IS NOT UNCOMMON.

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.