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A B737-300 was dispatched from a maintenance station with the flight data recorder deferred as inoperative in conflict with the MEL.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 410043 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199808 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0 |
| Environment | |
| 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 | other |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | other personnel other |
| Qualification | other other : other |
| ASRS Report | 410043 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | other personnel other oversight : supervisor |
| Qualification | other other : other |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other other : unspecified |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
On preflight, flight crew noted flight recorder 'off' warning light cap missing. I deferred flight recorder inoperative per MEL. No light cap in stock. MEL special notes states, 'airplane is not dispatched from an airport where repairs or replacements can be made.' I understand this to mean that deferral is ok if no parts are available for repair. Our maintenance controller called (after aircraft departed) that (above) statement means 'cannot depart from a maintenance station.' corrective action MEL should clearly state 'may not depart from a maintenance station.' MEL terminology should never have possible dual meanings.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A B737-300 WAS DISPATCHED FROM A MAINT STATION WITH THE FLT DATA RECORDER DEFERRED AS INOP IN CONFLICT WITH THE MEL.
Narrative: ON PREFLT, FLC NOTED FLT RECORDER 'OFF' WARNING LIGHT CAP MISSING. I DEFERRED FLT RECORDER INOP PER MEL. NO LIGHT CAP IN STOCK. MEL SPECIAL NOTES STATES, 'AIRPLANE IS NOT DISPATCHED FROM AN ARPT WHERE REPAIRS OR REPLACEMENTS CAN BE MADE.' I UNDERSTAND THIS TO MEAN THAT DEFERRAL IS OK IF NO PARTS ARE AVAILABLE FOR REPAIR. OUR MAINT CTLR CALLED (AFTER ACFT DEPARTED) THAT (ABOVE) STATEMENT MEANS 'CANNOT DEPART FROM A MAINT STATION.' CORRECTIVE ACTION MEL SHOULD CLRLY STATE 'MAY NOT DEPART FROM A MAINT STATION.' MEL TERMINOLOGY SHOULD NEVER HAVE POSSIBLE DUAL MEANINGS.
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.