A CRJ700 was dispatched in non compliance with a service door exterior handle broken and unusable.

Attributes
ACN	541528
Time
Date	200203
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Regional Jet 700 ER&LR
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 54 flight time total : 3550 flight time type : 54
ASRS Report	541528
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	other other : person 3
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

While performing duties in the cockpit at ZZZ the ramp agent told us that the service door outer handle was broken. The captain inspected the door and concluded it safe. We continued the flight to ZZZ1. Safety, able to still open and close door securely and all indications in cockpit were satisfied. Many flts canceled the day before and aircraft was fully loaded getting ready to push back. Company e-mail to saab pilots earlier telling pilots that out-station maintenance is very costly and to use our discernment before writing.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CRJ700 WAS DISPATCHED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH A SVC DOOR EXTERIOR HANDLE BROKEN AND UNUSABLE.

Narrative: WHILE PERFORMING DUTIES IN THE COCKPIT AT ZZZ THE RAMP AGENT TOLD US THAT THE SVC DOOR OUTER HANDLE WAS BROKEN. THE CAPT INSPECTED THE DOOR AND CONCLUDED IT SAFE. WE CONTINUED THE FLT TO ZZZ1. SAFETY, ABLE TO STILL OPEN AND CLOSE DOOR SECURELY AND ALL INDICATIONS IN COCKPIT WERE SATISFIED. MANY FLTS CANCELED THE DAY BEFORE AND ACFT WAS FULLY LOADED GETTING READY TO PUSH BACK. COMPANY E-MAIL TO SAAB PLTS EARLIER TELLING PLTS THAT OUT-STATION MAINT IS VERY COSTLY AND TO USE OUR DISCERNMENT BEFORE WRITING.

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.