MEL requirements interpretation abrogated by flight crew ground crew.

Attributes
ACN	314797
Time
Date	199508
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : las
State Reference	NV
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff ground : preflight landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 211 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	314797
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far non adherence other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation
Situations
Publication	Unspecified

Narrative:

The #2 'reverser' light overhead, illuminated on our initial taxi for departure. Flight las-lax. We called maintenance control in las vegas and returned to the gate for technicians to investigate problem. According to company MEL manual, the #2 reverser was to be disabled, locked out and placards applied to 'reverser' lights and handle. The technicians performed these operations and a few others stated in the MEL as per 'number XXX of aircraft maintenance manual.' the captain and I had no reference or access to the aircraft manual and assumed the technicians would comply properly. The technicians promptly completed their work and returned to the flight deck with the logbook discrepancy signed off as per 'MEL xyz' our dispatcher called at that time and acknowledged the receipt of the MEL item and stated 'add MEL xyz' to our release. The technician then pulled and collared the circuit breaker for #2 thrust reverser and the #1 thrust reverser, quoting something from his aircraft manual. We flew flight from las to lax, flight lax-las, flight las-lax uneventfully (without any thrust reversers). Through the complexity, and confusion of the MEL wording of the reverser system, we missed the most important phrase '2 are required.'

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MEL REQUIREMENTS INTERP ABROGATED BY FLC GND CREW.

Narrative: THE #2 'REVERSER' LIGHT OVERHEAD, ILLUMINATED ON OUR INITIAL TAXI FOR DEP. FLT LAS-LAX. WE CALLED MAINT CTL IN LAS VEGAS AND RETURNED TO THE GATE FOR TECHNICIANS TO INVESTIGATE PROB. ACCORDING TO COMPANY MEL MANUAL, THE #2 REVERSER WAS TO BE DISABLED, LOCKED OUT AND PLACARDS APPLIED TO 'REVERSER' LIGHTS AND HANDLE. THE TECHNICIANS PERFORMED THESE OPS AND A FEW OTHERS STATED IN THE MEL AS PER 'NUMBER XXX OF ACFT MAINT MANUAL.' THE CAPT AND I HAD NO REF OR ACCESS TO THE ACFT MANUAL AND ASSUMED THE TECHNICIANS WOULD COMPLY PROPERLY. THE TECHNICIANS PROMPTLY COMPLETED THEIR WORK AND RETURNED TO THE FLT DECK WITH THE LOGBOOK DISCREPANCY SIGNED OFF AS PER 'MEL XYZ' OUR DISPATCHER CALLED AT THAT TIME AND ACKNOWLEDGED THE RECEIPT OF THE MEL ITEM AND STATED 'ADD MEL XYZ' TO OUR RELEASE. THE TECHNICIAN THEN PULLED AND COLLARED THE CIRCUIT BREAKER FOR #2 THRUST REVERSER AND THE #1 THRUST REVERSER, QUOTING SOMETHING FROM HIS ACFT MANUAL. WE FLEW FLT FROM LAS TO LAX, FLT LAX-LAS, FLT LAS-LAX UNEVENTFULLY (WITHOUT ANY THRUST REVERSERS). THROUGH THE COMPLEXITY, AND CONFUSION OF THE MEL WORDING OF THE REVERSER SYS, WE MISSED THE MOST IMPORTANT PHRASE '2 ARE REQUIRED.'

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.