Narrative:

On may/xc/99 I was a crew member on an air carrier flight on a B737-300G. During a preflight review of the flight plan, logbook and other paperwork given for the flight, the captain and I noticed an mco item in the logbook. The same mco item was also on the flight plan. Air carrier flight plans carry the mco along with MEL number and expiration date. The expiration date is associated with the category for time allotted for the repair of the mco item. The flight plan showed the item to have a 10 day allowance for repair. The mco was written up on may/xx/99. This flight plan gave the mco expiration date of may/xc/99. The mco was listed with an incorrect expiration date/category. The correct expiration allowance should have been for 3 days or may/xc/99 (the date of our flight). I did not discover this error in my review of the maintenance dispatch manual. I feel this could have been prevented if the MEL system were to have the MEL number include the repair category as part or it. I feel the current system has too much room for error when reviewing an mco item. I think this contributed greatly to my not catching the incorrect information.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-300 WAS DISCOVERED BY THE CREW TO HAVE THE WRONG TIME LIMIT ASSIGNED TO A DEFERRED ITEM AND WAS IN FACT OUT OF TIME FOR REPAIR.

Narrative: ON MAY/XC/99 I WAS A CREW MEMBER ON AN ACR FLT ON A B737-300G. DURING A PREFLT REVIEW OF THE FLT PLAN, LOGBOOK AND OTHER PAPERWORK GIVEN FOR THE FLT, THE CAPT AND I NOTICED AN MCO ITEM IN THE LOGBOOK. THE SAME MCO ITEM WAS ALSO ON THE FLT PLAN. ACR FLT PLANS CARRY THE MCO ALONG WITH MEL NUMBER AND EXPIRATION DATE. THE EXPIRATION DATE IS ASSOCIATED WITH THE CATEGORY FOR TIME ALLOTTED FOR THE REPAIR OF THE MCO ITEM. THE FLT PLAN SHOWED THE ITEM TO HAVE A 10 DAY ALLOWANCE FOR REPAIR. THE MCO WAS WRITTEN UP ON MAY/XX/99. THIS FLT PLAN GAVE THE MCO EXPIRATION DATE OF MAY/XC/99. THE MCO WAS LISTED WITH AN INCORRECT EXPIRATION DATE/CATEGORY. THE CORRECT EXPIRATION ALLOWANCE SHOULD HAVE BEEN FOR 3 DAYS OR MAY/XC/99 (THE DATE OF OUR FLT). I DID NOT DISCOVER THIS ERROR IN MY REVIEW OF THE MAINT DISPATCH MANUAL. I FEEL THIS COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED IF THE MEL SYS WERE TO HAVE THE MEL NUMBER INCLUDE THE REPAIR CATEGORY AS PART OR IT. I FEEL THE CURRENT SYS HAS TOO MUCH ROOM FOR ERROR WHEN REVIEWING AN MCO ITEM. I THINK THIS CONTRIBUTED GREATLY TO MY NOT CATCHING THE INCORRECT INFO.

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.