Aircraft dispatched in conflict with the printed MEL.

Attributes
ACN	292633
Time
Date	199412
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dfw
State Reference	TX
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel
Qualification	other
ASRS Report	292633
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Chart Or Publication
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I dispatched a 727 aircraft from dfw to bna to tys on an IFR flight plan. Aircraft had an MEL referring to auxiliary tank boost pumps -- both pumps were inoperative. The company's computer MEL states that both pumps may be inoperative provided that the tank is empty. The auxiliary tank would be empty from dfw to bna and from bna to tys. Upon looking at our written MEL it states that 1 pump is required. Company maintenance advises that if no fuel is required in the tank both pumps may be inoperative. I released the aircraft with a note to the same.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT DISPATCHED IN CONFLICT WITH THE PRINTED MEL.

Narrative: I DISPATCHED A 727 ACFT FROM DFW TO BNA TO TYS ON AN IFR FLT PLAN. ACFT HAD AN MEL REFERRING TO AUX TANK BOOST PUMPS -- BOTH PUMPS WERE INOP. THE COMPANY'S COMPUTER MEL STATES THAT BOTH PUMPS MAY BE INOP PROVIDED THAT THE TANK IS EMPTY. THE AUX TANK WOULD BE EMPTY FROM DFW TO BNA AND FROM BNA TO TYS. UPON LOOKING AT OUR WRITTEN MEL IT STATES THAT 1 PUMP IS REQUIRED. COMPANY MAINT ADVISES THAT IF NO FUEL IS REQUIRED IN THE TANK BOTH PUMPS MAY BE INOP. I RELEASED THE ACFT WITH A NOTE TO THE SAME.

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.