Narrative:

This aircraft arrived with a tail section dripping wet. After running all system, including engines with thrust reversers, it became apparent that it was not a large leak, but rather one much smaller, as the aircraft had lost 1 gallon of fluid in 3.5 hours of flying time. Continuing 1.5 hours into this delay, the only leak we found was coming from the ventral stairs actuator. MEL 52-62-01 deals with an inoperative ventral stairway, and was used because a replacement actuator was not available in ZZZ. All particulars were complied with, and additionally we capped the 2 hydraulic lines to this actuator. Although I felt this was necessary to use this MEL, it could have been a mistake, because the MEL does not consider this procedure. We do use similar procedures with other MEL's. One that comes to mind is used to deactivate autobrake modules on B737's. More consideration while MEL's are written could well address this issue!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A MEDIUM LARGE, LOW WING, TURBOFAN TRANSPORT WAS DISPATCHED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH THE AFT VENTRAL STAIRS RENDERED INOP BY CAPPING THE HYD ACTUATOR LINES.

Narrative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

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.