Narrative:

I wanted to defer an inoperative seat on the aircraft at the outstation. I looked in the MEL at the procedure, and it included an 'O' procedure, and an 'M' procedure. I called moc and asked them if I would need to call local maintenance to comply with the 'M' procedure. The 'M' procedure consisted of securing the seat forward with the seatbelt, and installing the placard. Moc stated that I could complete the entire procedure myself (because it is a flight crew placarding item), according to the person I talked to. I performed the required items, and the flight departed. Upon further research in the MEL, I began to question the advice of the moc person I talked to. It appeared to me that this item may have required local maintenance to comply with the MEL. I feel that the MEL needs to be a little more clear in defining 'M' procedures. I think that perhaps it should state specifically each case which will require local maintenance to complete the procedure. I am still not sure if I performed the correct action, and moc seemed sure that I could complete the procedure, so I feel that this ambiguity needs to be addressed.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A SAAB 340 WAS DISPATCHED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH A PAX SEAT DEFERRED AND SPECIAL PROCS ACCOMPLISHED BY THE FLC.

Narrative: I WANTED TO DEFER AN INOP SEAT ON THE ACFT AT THE OUTSTATION. I LOOKED IN THE MEL AT THE PROC, AND IT INCLUDED AN 'O' PROC, AND AN 'M' PROC. I CALLED MOC AND ASKED THEM IF I WOULD NEED TO CALL LCL MAINT TO COMPLY WITH THE 'M' PROC. THE 'M' PROC CONSISTED OF SECURING THE SEAT FORWARD WITH THE SEATBELT, AND INSTALLING THE PLACARD. MOC STATED THAT I COULD COMPLETE THE ENTIRE PROC MYSELF (BECAUSE IT IS A FLC PLACARDING ITEM), ACCORDING TO THE PERSON I TALKED TO. I PERFORMED THE REQUIRED ITEMS, AND THE FLT DEPARTED. UPON FURTHER RESEARCH IN THE MEL, I BEGAN TO QUESTION THE ADVICE OF THE MOC PERSON I TALKED TO. IT APPEARED TO ME THAT THIS ITEM MAY HAVE REQUIRED LCL MAINT TO COMPLY WITH THE MEL. I FEEL THAT THE MEL NEEDS TO BE A LITTLE MORE CLR IN DEFINING 'M' PROCS. I THINK THAT PERHAPS IT SHOULD STATE SPECIFICALLY EACH CASE WHICH WILL REQUIRE LCL MAINT TO COMPLETE THE PROC. I AM STILL NOT SURE IF I PERFORMED THE CORRECT ACTION, AND MOC SEEMED SURE THAT I COULD COMPLETE THE PROC, SO I FEEL THAT THIS AMBIGUITY NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.

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.