Narrative:

On a turnaround, with several mechanical problems, I was performing the required items to operate, per MEL. A company maintenance representative was deferring several items. I was mainly concerned with sticking the tank, (we had an inoperative fuel gauge), and calculating fuel. The maintenance representative had removed the MEL document from the aircraft without my knowledge. After we departed (pressed for time), we were told that they would send the MEL up on the next flight, and that they would have another one at the hub. The MEL contained the weight and balance document as well. The contributing factor, here, is a bonus program for on time departures and the station involved, which classifies all late departures, as crew infractions. At this airline, the tail wags the dog. The chief pilot inquired as to how I had complied with the MEL without it onboard. I had reviewed it inbound, and was working on all compliance when it was removed. As captain there are only so many things I can do at one time. The first officer was essentially useless. He is a 'paid for training,' foreign national here to build flight time and only good for consuming peanuts and soda pops. I do not know who removed the document, the maintenance representative or the first officer. The chief pilot has instructed the director of maintenance to tell all mechanics, to never remove the MEL document from the aircraft. Only the aircraft log needs signatures from maintenance entries. The aircraft log was reviewed by us, prior to departure, we just did not check the other document which should not have been disturbed. On arrival at the hub we reconstructed the manuals and weight and balance data (rebuilt from files), and with all legal documents on board with no delay, on next departure. Supplemental information from acn 300606: we landed at lafayette with 2 open 'write-ups.' the mechanic at the base deferred the 2 items. He removed the maintenance book and the MEL from the aircraft. When he had called in and taken care of the deferrals on the phone, he failed to put the MEL back on the aircraft, with the appropriate maintenance papers.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A COMMUTER ACFT, WHICH HAD MAINT DEFERRED ITEMS (PER ACFT'S MEL), DEPARTED WITHOUT THE LEGALLY REQUIRED DOCUMENTS, ON BOARD.

Narrative: ON A TURNAROUND, WITH SEVERAL MECHANICAL PROBS, I WAS PERFORMING THE REQUIRED ITEMS TO OPERATE, PER MEL. A COMPANY MAINT REPRESENTATIVE WAS DEFERRING SEVERAL ITEMS. I WAS MAINLY CONCERNED WITH STICKING THE TANK, (WE HAD AN INOP FUEL GAUGE), AND CALCULATING FUEL. THE MAINT REPRESENTATIVE HAD REMOVED THE MEL DOCUMENT FROM THE ACFT WITHOUT MY KNOWLEDGE. AFTER WE DEPARTED (PRESSED FOR TIME), WE WERE TOLD THAT THEY WOULD SEND THE MEL UP ON THE NEXT FLT, AND THAT THEY WOULD HAVE ANOTHER ONE AT THE HUB. THE MEL CONTAINED THE WT AND BAL DOCUMENT AS WELL. THE CONTRIBUTING FACTOR, HERE, IS A BONUS PROGRAM FOR ON TIME DEPS AND THE STATION INVOLVED, WHICH CLASSIFIES ALL LATE DEPS, AS CREW INFRACTIONS. AT THIS AIRLINE, THE TAIL WAGS THE DOG. THE CHIEF PLT INQUIRED AS TO HOW I HAD COMPLIED WITH THE MEL WITHOUT IT ONBOARD. I HAD REVIEWED IT INBOUND, AND WAS WORKING ON ALL COMPLIANCE WHEN IT WAS REMOVED. AS CAPT THERE ARE ONLY SO MANY THINGS I CAN DO AT ONE TIME. THE FO WAS ESSENTIALLY USELESS. HE IS A 'PAID FOR TRAINING,' FOREIGN NATIONAL HERE TO BUILD FLT TIME AND ONLY GOOD FOR CONSUMING PEANUTS AND SODA POPS. I DO NOT KNOW WHO REMOVED THE DOCUMENT, THE MAINT REPRESENTATIVE OR THE FO. THE CHIEF PLT HAS INSTRUCTED THE DIRECTOR OF MAINTENANCE TO TELL ALL MECHS, TO NEVER REMOVE THE MEL DOCUMENT FROM THE ACFT. ONLY THE ACFT LOG NEEDS SIGNATURES FROM MAINT ENTRIES. THE ACFT LOG WAS REVIEWED BY US, PRIOR TO DEP, WE JUST DID NOT CHK THE OTHER DOCUMENT WHICH SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN DISTURBED. ON ARR AT THE HUB WE RECONSTRUCTED THE MANUALS AND WT AND BAL DATA (REBUILT FROM FILES), AND WITH ALL LEGAL DOCUMENTS ON BOARD WITH NO DELAY, ON NEXT DEP. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 300606: WE LANDED AT LAFAYETTE WITH 2 OPEN 'WRITE-UPS.' THE MECH AT THE BASE DEFERRED THE 2 ITEMS. HE REMOVED THE MAINT BOOK AND THE MEL FROM THE ACFT. WHEN HE HAD CALLED IN AND TAKEN CARE OF THE DEFERRALS ON THE PHONE, HE FAILED TO PUT THE MEL BACK ON THE ACFT, WITH THE APPROPRIATE MAINT PAPERS.

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.