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A B737-400 was dispatched in non compliance with the APU fire overheat loop incorrectly deferred as inoperative per the MEL.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 455777 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199911 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Mixed |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737-400 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | ground : parked ground : preflight |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 4800 |
| ASRS Report | 455777 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 3000 |
| ASRS Report | 455775 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : non compliance with mel non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure maintenance problem : improper maintenance |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | other |
| Factors | |
| Maintenance | contributing factor : manuals contributing factor : schedule pressure performance deficiency : logbook entry performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Aircraft Chart Or Publication Flight Crew Human Performance Maintenance Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Chart Or Publication |
| Situations | |
| Publication | Minimum Equipment List |
Narrative:
On nov/xa/99 I was assigned to fly a B737-400 aircraft on air carrier flight xyz to san diego from ZZZ with a return to ZZZ on flight zwv. That aircraft (tail #XXX) had an MEL on the APU for failure of the APU overheat detection system to cause the master caution light to illuminate. I believe that may have been an invalid MEL for the discrepancy noted. The actual discrepancy noted may have required more specific action than the MEL noted. Without more specific information, I perceived the MEL to be adequate. That may not have been the case.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A B737-400 WAS DISPATCHED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH THE APU FIRE OVERHEAT LOOP INCORRECTLY DEFERRED AS INOP PER THE MEL.
Narrative: ON NOV/XA/99 I WAS ASSIGNED TO FLY A B737-400 ACFT ON ACR FLT XYZ TO SAN DIEGO FROM ZZZ WITH A RETURN TO ZZZ ON FLT ZWV. THAT ACFT (TAIL #XXX) HAD AN MEL ON THE APU FOR FAILURE OF THE APU OVERHEAT DETECTION SYS TO CAUSE THE MASTER CAUTION LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE. I BELIEVE THAT MAY HAVE BEEN AN INVALID MEL FOR THE DISCREPANCY NOTED. THE ACTUAL DISCREPANCY NOTED MAY HAVE REQUIRED MORE SPECIFIC ACTION THAN THE MEL NOTED. WITHOUT MORE SPECIFIC INFO, I PERCEIVED THE MEL TO BE ADEQUATE. THAT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN THE CASE.
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.