<< >> NASA ASRS Report 422610, December 1998

A DC9-30 was dispatched in non compliance with an aft airstair door warning light deferred as inoperative but not inspected per the MEL procedures prior to each flight.

Attributes
ACN	422610
Time
Date	199812
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : oma
State Reference	NE
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Flight Phase	ground : parked ground : preflight
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 4800
ASRS Report	422610
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 202 flight time total : 11800 flight time type : 1615
ASRS Report	422608
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Publication	Unspecified

Narrative:

Received aircraft xyz, a DC9-30, with aft entrance stair door warning light system inoperative and deterred per the DC9 MEL. First officer and I both examined MEL 'door warning light system.' MEL had a (T) function which required that maintenance examine the aft stair door to verify locked. On examination of the logbook, I found the (T) function inspection completed on the previous day. I conferred with the captain from whom I accepted the aircraft. He assured me that he had discussed the MEL with maintenance control and they informed him it was a 'one-time' inspection. The first officer and I were uneasy that this could be correct. We further inquired station maintenance who had the same interpretation from maintenance control. The first officer visually inspected the door closed and the flight was completed without incident. The captain receiving the aircraft at our destination informed me that maintenance control had decided to inspect the door lock before each departure from that point on.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DC9-30 WAS DISPATCHED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH AN AFT AIRSTAIR DOOR WARNING LIGHT DEFERRED AS INOP BUT NOT INSPECTED PER THE MEL PROCS PRIOR TO EACH FLT.

Narrative: RECEIVED ACFT XYZ, A DC9-30, WITH AFT ENTRANCE STAIR DOOR WARNING LIGHT SYS INOP AND DETERRED PER THE DC9 MEL. FO AND I BOTH EXAMINED MEL 'DOOR WARNING LIGHT SYS.' MEL HAD A (T) FUNCTION WHICH REQUIRED THAT MAINT EXAMINE THE AFT STAIR DOOR TO VERIFY LOCKED. ON EXAMINATION OF THE LOGBOOK, I FOUND THE (T) FUNCTION INSPECTION COMPLETED ON THE PREVIOUS DAY. I CONFERRED WITH THE CAPT FROM WHOM I ACCEPTED THE ACFT. HE ASSURED ME THAT HE HAD DISCUSSED THE MEL WITH MAINT CTL AND THEY INFORMED HIM IT WAS A 'ONE-TIME' INSPECTION. THE FO AND I WERE UNEASY THAT THIS COULD BE CORRECT. WE FURTHER INQUIRED STATION MAINT WHO HAD THE SAME INTERP FROM MAINT CTL. THE FO VISUALLY INSPECTED THE DOOR CLOSED AND THE FLT WAS COMPLETED WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE CAPT RECEIVING THE ACFT AT OUR DEST INFORMED ME THAT MAINT CTL HAD DECIDED TO INSPECT THE DOOR LOCK BEFORE EACH DEP FROM THAT POINT ON.

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.