Narrative:

Our company operates dehavilland dash 8's, models 100 and 300. Upon relieving the previous dispatcher, I did not notice that 1 of the DH-8-100's had an item deferred that is only deferrable on a DH-8-300. This was discovered several hours later when I was updating our master dmi list in my pass down for our morning crew. Upon notifying the captain, we determined that the problem was in the way the dmi was written by the mechanic and was solely a paper work technicality. At no time was anyone put in danger. The problem was with the autoplt. The mechanic deferred the autoplt and the flight guidance computer. The flight guidance computer was operating normally and is only deferrable on a DH-8- 300. Upon discovering the problem, the aircraft was grounded. (Dmi is deferred maintenance item.) supplemental information from acn 295898: I looked at the MEL list but did not notice the fgcs was not deferrable on this particular model dash 8.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT EQUIP PROB FGCS IMPROPERLY SIGNED OFF.

Narrative: OUR COMPANY OPERATES DEHAVILLAND DASH 8'S, MODELS 100 AND 300. UPON RELIEVING THE PREVIOUS DISPATCHER, I DID NOT NOTICE THAT 1 OF THE DH-8-100'S HAD AN ITEM DEFERRED THAT IS ONLY DEFERRABLE ON A DH-8-300. THIS WAS DISCOVERED SEVERAL HRS LATER WHEN I WAS UPDATING OUR MASTER DMI LIST IN MY PASS DOWN FOR OUR MORNING CREW. UPON NOTIFYING THE CAPT, WE DETERMINED THAT THE PROB WAS IN THE WAY THE DMI WAS WRITTEN BY THE MECH AND WAS SOLELY A PAPER WORK TECHNICALITY. AT NO TIME WAS ANYONE PUT IN DANGER. THE PROB WAS WITH THE AUTOPLT. THE MECH DEFERRED THE AUTOPLT AND THE FLT GUIDANCE COMPUTER. THE FLT GUIDANCE COMPUTER WAS OPERATING NORMALLY AND IS ONLY DEFERRABLE ON A DH-8- 300. UPON DISCOVERING THE PROB, THE ACFT WAS GNDED. (DMI IS DEFERRED MAINT ITEM.) SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 295898: I LOOKED AT THE MEL LIST BUT DID NOT NOTICE THE FGCS WAS NOT DEFERRABLE ON THIS PARTICULAR MODEL DASH 8.

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.