Widebody transport operated contrary to MEL limitations.

Attributes
ACN	291257
Time
Date	199412
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mem
State Reference	TN
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-10 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : second officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 900 flight time total : 5000
ASRS Report	291257
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

The aircraft (DC10) had a history of APU doors not closing. I briefed the captain when she arrived at the plane. She had just flown the plane in from atl and had been informed by maintenance that the problem was only a light. When the APU doors wouldn't close after engine start, we referred to the MEL that talked about the light being inoperative. That allowed us to dispatch, however, if the malfunction was actually having the APU doors open we were supposed to return to the blocks. When we landed we discovered that the doors were actually open and therefore we were violating the MEL. Fortunately, I changed the takeoff data to show the doors open.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WDB OPERATED CONTRARY TO MEL LIMITATIONS.

Narrative: THE ACFT (DC10) HAD A HISTORY OF APU DOORS NOT CLOSING. I BRIEFED THE CAPT WHEN SHE ARRIVED AT THE PLANE. SHE HAD JUST FLOWN THE PLANE IN FROM ATL AND HAD BEEN INFORMED BY MAINT THAT THE PROB WAS ONLY A LIGHT. WHEN THE APU DOORS WOULDN'T CLOSE AFTER ENG START, WE REFERRED TO THE MEL THAT TALKED ABOUT THE LIGHT BEING INOP. THAT ALLOWED US TO DISPATCH, HOWEVER, IF THE MALFUNCTION WAS ACTUALLY HAVING THE APU DOORS OPEN WE WERE SUPPOSED TO RETURN TO THE BLOCKS. WHEN WE LANDED WE DISCOVERED THAT THE DOORS WERE ACTUALLY OPEN AND THEREFORE WE WERE VIOLATING THE MEL. FORTUNATELY, I CHANGED THE TKOF DATA TO SHOW THE DOORS OPEN.

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.