Narrative:

This event involves a deferred item not reflected in MEL (available to flight crew members) but covered by general maintenance manual (available to mechanics only). As such, it was not reflected on flight release. Upon arrival at aircraft, I discovered that captain's altimeter had been changed at previous outstation, and had a tracking deferral for a 26000 ft pressure check. The deferred section had originally written 'by next c-chk.' this was crossed out and something indecipherable written in there. I thought I saw 'next overnight' in there, but wondered if it said 'next overhaul,' plus if there were any operating restrs, such as flying below FL260 only, etc. I had flight engineer call maintenance control to ask for general maintenance manual to be brought to aircraft, plus clarification on deferred section. The wording contained in general maintenance manual was 'cleared by next stay at station with facilities to conduct check.' just the kind of language to get me nailed for taking the flight or refusing to take the flight 'as is.' our hub has facilities, but there was only a 2 hour gap between arrival and my scheduled departure. My destination had facilities, the place where altimeter was changed did not. Exactly what is the definition of 'stay?' I figured, we've got an first officer's altimeter, and a barometric standby, the WX is good (clear at departure, 7000 ft broken, 10 mi visibility at destination and alternate) there's no other specific restrs, so I took the aircraft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DC8-F WAS DISPATCHED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH THE CAPT'S ALTIMETER REPLACED BUT THE STATIC PRESSURE CHK WAS DEFERRED FOR ACCOMPLISHMENT.

Narrative: THIS EVENT INVOLVES A DEFERRED ITEM NOT REFLECTED IN MEL (AVAILABLE TO FLC MEMBERS) BUT COVERED BY GENERAL MAINT MANUAL (AVAILABLE TO MECHS ONLY). AS SUCH, IT WAS NOT REFLECTED ON FLT RELEASE. UPON ARR AT ACFT, I DISCOVERED THAT CAPT'S ALTIMETER HAD BEEN CHANGED AT PREVIOUS OUTSTATION, AND HAD A TRACKING DEFERRAL FOR A 26000 FT PRESSURE CHK. THE DEFERRED SECTION HAD ORIGINALLY WRITTEN 'BY NEXT C-CHK.' THIS WAS CROSSED OUT AND SOMETHING INDECIPHERABLE WRITTEN IN THERE. I THOUGHT I SAW 'NEXT OVERNIGHT' IN THERE, BUT WONDERED IF IT SAID 'NEXT OVERHAUL,' PLUS IF THERE WERE ANY OPERATING RESTRS, SUCH AS FLYING BELOW FL260 ONLY, ETC. I HAD FE CALL MAINT CTL TO ASK FOR GENERAL MAINT MANUAL TO BE BROUGHT TO ACFT, PLUS CLARIFICATION ON DEFERRED SECTION. THE WORDING CONTAINED IN GENERAL MAINT MANUAL WAS 'CLRED BY NEXT STAY AT STATION WITH FACILITIES TO CONDUCT CHK.' JUST THE KIND OF LANGUAGE TO GET ME NAILED FOR TAKING THE FLT OR REFUSING TO TAKE THE FLT 'AS IS.' OUR HUB HAS FACILITIES, BUT THERE WAS ONLY A 2 HR GAP BTWN ARR AND MY SCHEDULED DEP. MY DEST HAD FACILITIES, THE PLACE WHERE ALTIMETER WAS CHANGED DID NOT. EXACTLY WHAT IS THE DEFINITION OF 'STAY?' I FIGURED, WE'VE GOT AN FO'S ALTIMETER, AND A BAROMETRIC STANDBY, THE WX IS GOOD (CLR AT DEP, 7000 FT BROKEN, 10 MI VISIBILITY AT DEST AND ALTERNATE) THERE'S NO OTHER SPECIFIC RESTRS, SO I TOOK THE ACFT.

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.