A B737-300 was dispatched in non compliance with the aft cargo compartment fire loops 'a' and 'B' inoperative and the compartment loaded in conflict with the MEL requirements.

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Attributes
ACN	528524
Time
Date	200110
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : sdf.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : maintenance ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time type : 1199
ASRS Report	528524
Person 2
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : improper maintenance maintenance problem : non compliance with mel non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other other : person 3
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew other other
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : manuals contributing factor : schedule pressure performance deficiency : repair performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements performance deficiency : logbook entry
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Chart Or Publication Aircraft Maintenance Human Performance
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance
Situations
Publication	MINIMUM EQUIP

Narrative:

Dispatched to ZZZ1 with both aft fire loops inoperative and the B loop of the forward pits inoperative. MEL #2623R. The mrd reflected the aircraft was cleared to fly. We flew to ZZZ1 and on arrival was met by an FAA inspector that stated the forward and aft pits were not available for luggage or cargo. I called maintenance. Was told by 1 mechanic that it was ok to fly and by another that it was not. The FAA inspector stated that the MEL item indicated that 4 fire loops were standard and that 2 fire loops were minimum. Since we did not have the minimum number of loops we could not use the pits without violation. The MEL item is extremely difficult to interpret these numbers by a pilot. The FAA inspector stated he inspected the same aircraft last monday. I communicated this to dispatcher, maintenance and fleet captain. I feel we should not have to go into the depths of maintenance documents to interpret difficult numbers to discover whether or not our aircraft is legal to fly! I learn that in the future I will question maintenance on exotic deferrals a little more in-depth. The labor problems at air carrier has caught up with us! The inspector stated he had inspected the same aircraft for the same infraction earlier this week on monday. He experienced the same reaction then as today.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-300 WAS DISPATCHED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH THE AFT CARGO COMPARTMENT FIRE LOOPS 'A' AND 'B' INOP AND THE COMPARTMENT LOADED IN CONFLICT WITH THE MEL REQUIREMENTS.

Narrative: DISPATCHED TO ZZZ1 WITH BOTH AFT FIRE LOOPS INOP AND THE B LOOP OF THE FORWARD PITS INOP. MEL #2623R. THE MRD REFLECTED THE ACFT WAS CLRED TO FLY. WE FLEW TO ZZZ1 AND ON ARR WAS MET BY AN FAA INSPECTOR THAT STATED THE FORWARD AND AFT PITS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR LUGGAGE OR CARGO. I CALLED MAINT. WAS TOLD BY 1 MECH THAT IT WAS OK TO FLY AND BY ANOTHER THAT IT WAS NOT. THE FAA INSPECTOR STATED THAT THE MEL ITEM INDICATED THAT 4 FIRE LOOPS WERE STANDARD AND THAT 2 FIRE LOOPS WERE MINIMUM. SINCE WE DID NOT HAVE THE MINIMUM NUMBER OF LOOPS WE COULD NOT USE THE PITS WITHOUT VIOLATION. THE MEL ITEM IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO INTERPRET THESE NUMBERS BY A PLT. THE FAA INSPECTOR STATED HE INSPECTED THE SAME ACFT LAST MONDAY. I COMMUNICATED THIS TO DISPATCHER, MAINT AND FLEET CAPT. I FEEL WE SHOULD NOT HAVE TO GO INTO THE DEPTHS OF MAINT DOCUMENTS TO INTERPRET DIFFICULT NUMBERS TO DISCOVER WHETHER OR NOT OUR ACFT IS LEGAL TO FLY! I LEARN THAT IN THE FUTURE I WILL QUESTION MAINT ON EXOTIC DEFERRALS A LITTLE MORE IN-DEPTH. THE LABOR PROBS AT ACR HAS CAUGHT UP WITH US! THE INSPECTOR STATED HE HAD INSPECTED THE SAME ACFT FOR THE SAME INFRACTION EARLIER THIS WK ON MONDAY. HE EXPERIENCED THE SAME REACTION THEN AS TODAY.

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.