Light transport took off with an encoding altimeter circuit breaker pulled and wrapped.

Attributes
ACN	353430
Time
Date	199611
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mke
State Reference	WI
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 1870 flight time type : 420
ASRS Report	353430
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

My captain and I took off in what we thought was an airworthy aircraft from mke, wi, to dsm, ia, on nov/tue/96. When we landed in dsm, ia, the captain decided to check the MEL requirements for an MEL sticker we had in the cockpit. He should have checked it before we took off on our first leg, but failed to do so. In the discrepancy column of our maintenance sheet it stated that the copilot encoding altimeter needed to be tie wrapped. In the solution section, the mechanic showed that he did this. This made the aircraft not airworthy because ths procedures for the MEL said only to place an MEL sticker by the item, not to tie wrap it. As soon as the captain discovered this, he called a mechanic and had it fixed. He said it would show 'a blatant disregard for safety' if we flew something that we knew was not airworthy. I agreed. I feel partially responsible because I was a crew member.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LTT TOOK OFF WITH AN ENCODING ALTIMETER CIRCUIT BREAKER PULLED AND WRAPPED.

Narrative: MY CAPT AND I TOOK OFF IN WHAT WE THOUGHT WAS AN AIRWORTHY ACFT FROM MKE, WI, TO DSM, IA, ON NOV/TUE/96. WHEN WE LANDED IN DSM, IA, THE CAPT DECIDED TO CHK THE MEL REQUIREMENTS FOR AN MEL STICKER WE HAD IN THE COCKPIT. HE SHOULD HAVE CHKED IT BEFORE WE TOOK OFF ON OUR FIRST LEG, BUT FAILED TO DO SO. IN THE DISCREPANCY COLUMN OF OUR MAINT SHEET IT STATED THAT THE COPLT ENCODING ALTIMETER NEEDED TO BE TIE WRAPPED. IN THE SOLUTION SECTION, THE MECH SHOWED THAT HE DID THIS. THIS MADE THE ACFT NOT AIRWORTHY BECAUSE THS PROCS FOR THE MEL SAID ONLY TO PLACE AN MEL STICKER BY THE ITEM, NOT TO TIE WRAP IT. AS SOON AS THE CAPT DISCOVERED THIS, HE CALLED A MECH AND HAD IT FIXED. HE SAID IT WOULD SHOW 'A BLATANT DISREGARD FOR SAFETY' IF WE FLEW SOMETHING THAT WE KNEW WAS NOT AIRWORTHY. I AGREED. I FEEL PARTIALLY RESPONSIBLE BECAUSE I WAS A CREW MEMBER.

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.