An airbus 320 was dispatched in non compliance with a deferred item on the inoperative fuel used ind...

Attributes
ACN	437452
Time
Date	199905
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : maintenance ground : parked ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 7950 flight time type : 1460
ASRS Report	437452
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : non compliance with mel non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : fuel flow - fuel used ind. other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	other
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : non availability of parts contributing factor : schedule pressure performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements performance deficiency : testing performance deficiency : repair
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Chart Or Publication Flight Crew Human Performance Maintenance Human Performance
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

During cockpit set-up I discovered the #1 fuel used (totalizer) on the lower ECAM engine page had an amber line through it. This, along with a 'zero' indication, led me to suspect it was inoperative. Maintenance in ZZZ was called, and they dispatched an air carrier mechanic to look at it. The captain looked up the discrepancy in the MEL book. The air carrier mechanic performed the required system tests, and signed off the discrepancy in the logbook. The dispatcher in company maintenance registered the MEL and signed off the company radio frequency. While the captain was researching the MEL, I recall him saying something like 'if the fuel used indication is bad, the fuel flow is also going to be inoperative.' I thought the two were related, and the relief provided by the MEL for the fuel used indication also applied to any future fuel flow indication problem. When we started the #1 engine, the #1 fuel flow indicator on the upper ECAM was not functioning. We taxied out and took off with the fuel flow indicator inoperative. I didn't think to question it because I thought MEL relief was provided with the previous fuel used indicator write-up. Also, the captain's comments while he had the MEL book open, ie, 'the fuel flow will probably be inoperative also' led me to believe we had MEL relief. During cruise, the captain looked through the MEL book again and came to the conclusion there was no MEL relief for an inoperative fuel flow gauge. We had possibly taken off with a no-go item.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN AIRBUS 320 WAS DISPATCHED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH A DEFERRED ITEM ON THE INOP FUEL USED INDICATOR IN CONFLICT WITH THE MEL.

Narrative: DURING COCKPIT SET-UP I DISCOVERED THE #1 FUEL USED (TOTALIZER) ON THE LOWER ECAM ENG PAGE HAD AN AMBER LINE THROUGH IT. THIS, ALONG WITH A 'ZERO' INDICATION, LED ME TO SUSPECT IT WAS INOP. MAINT IN ZZZ WAS CALLED, AND THEY DISPATCHED AN ACR MECH TO LOOK AT IT. THE CAPT LOOKED UP THE DISCREPANCY IN THE MEL BOOK. THE ACR MECH PERFORMED THE REQUIRED SYS TESTS, AND SIGNED OFF THE DISCREPANCY IN THE LOGBOOK. THE DISPATCHER IN COMPANY MAINT REGISTERED THE MEL AND SIGNED OFF THE COMPANY RADIO FREQ. WHILE THE CAPT WAS RESEARCHING THE MEL, I RECALL HIM SAYING SOMETHING LIKE 'IF THE FUEL USED INDICATION IS BAD, THE FUEL FLOW IS ALSO GOING TO BE INOP.' I THOUGHT THE TWO WERE RELATED, AND THE RELIEF PROVIDED BY THE MEL FOR THE FUEL USED INDICATION ALSO APPLIED TO ANY FUTURE FUEL FLOW INDICATION PROB. WHEN WE STARTED THE #1 ENG, THE #1 FUEL FLOW INDICATOR ON THE UPPER ECAM WAS NOT FUNCTIONING. WE TAXIED OUT AND TOOK OFF WITH THE FUEL FLOW INDICATOR INOP. I DIDN'T THINK TO QUESTION IT BECAUSE I THOUGHT MEL RELIEF WAS PROVIDED WITH THE PREVIOUS FUEL USED INDICATOR WRITE-UP. ALSO, THE CAPT'S COMMENTS WHILE HE HAD THE MEL BOOK OPEN, IE, 'THE FUEL FLOW WILL PROBABLY BE INOP ALSO' LED ME TO BELIEVE WE HAD MEL RELIEF. DURING CRUISE, THE CAPT LOOKED THROUGH THE MEL BOOK AGAIN AND CAME TO THE CONCLUSION THERE WAS NO MEL RELIEF FOR AN INOP FUEL FLOW GAUGE. WE HAD POSSIBLY TAKEN OFF WITH A NO-GO ITEM.

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.

An airbus 320 was dispatched in non compliance with a deferred item on the inoperative fuel used indicator in conflict with the MEL.