A B767-er is dispatched in violation of the requirements of the MEL, having an APU deferred past the...

Attributes
ACN	557108
Time
Date	200208
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : egpf.airport
State Reference	FO
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B767 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : takeoff roll
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	557108
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	556826
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe maintenance problem : non compliance with mel maintenance problem : improper documentation non adherence : company policies non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : disp 6
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other other
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : briefing contributing factor : schedule pressure performance deficiency : repair performance deficiency : logbook entry
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Maintenance Human Performance Company Airspace Structure Aircraft ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

6 hours after takeoff from gla, the dispatcher called to inform us that the flight had been erroneously dispatched on the third leg with the APU inoperative. The MEL states that for ETOPS, the aircraft can only be flown for 2 flts with an inoperative APU. Backgnd information: while we were preparing the aircraft for departure, a mechanic at gla informed us that the APU was inoperative and that we had an ETOPS 120 min flight restr. He kept the logbook to use while briefing the flight attendants on the deferred cabin items. After checking the MEL for the inoperative APU and alternate brake valve, we discussed the ETOPS requirements and checked our route of flight to ensure it complied with the restr. The logbook was given to us just prior to departure. The APU was placarded on aug/wed/02 and today was aug/thu/02. We thought our flight was the second flight with the inoperative APU. We didn't realize that the APU had been placarded in man on aug/wed/02, then flew man-ord, then ord-gla all on aug/wed/02. Contributing factors: our aircraft was late arriving in gla and we were trying to get out as soon as possible. The logbook wasn't given to us until just prior to departure. We had to hand-load our route since it wouldn't uplink due to an omission in the navigation database, and had difficulty obtaining our oceanic clearance on the ground in gla via ACARS and had to call shanwick. Due to being overloaded and hurried, we missed the fact that the APU had been placarded in man and not ord. In the future, I will slow down, take the delay, and meticulously examine the logbook. Supplemental information from acn 556826: I arrived at the gate at XA35 and was allowed on the aircraft at XA45 for an XB15 departure -- 2 hours late. The maintenance book was not yet on the aircraft. I looked up APU inoperative in the MEL and reviewed this extensively with both captain/check airman. We all concurred that we were legal to fly the aircraft on its return leg to ord as per the MEL.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B767-ER IS DISPATCHED IN VIOLATION OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE MEL, HAVING AN APU DEFERRED PAST THE SECOND FLT, FROM EGPF, FO.

Narrative: 6 HRS AFTER TKOF FROM GLA, THE DISPATCHER CALLED TO INFORM US THAT THE FLT HAD BEEN ERRONEOUSLY DISPATCHED ON THE THIRD LEG WITH THE APU INOP. THE MEL STATES THAT FOR ETOPS, THE ACFT CAN ONLY BE FLOWN FOR 2 FLTS WITH AN INOP APU. BACKGND INFO: WHILE WE WERE PREPARING THE ACFT FOR DEP, A MECH AT GLA INFORMED US THAT THE APU WAS INOP AND THAT WE HAD AN ETOPS 120 MIN FLT RESTR. HE KEPT THE LOGBOOK TO USE WHILE BRIEFING THE FLT ATTENDANTS ON THE DEFERRED CABIN ITEMS. AFTER CHKING THE MEL FOR THE INOP APU AND ALTERNATE BRAKE VALVE, WE DISCUSSED THE ETOPS REQUIREMENTS AND CHKED OUR RTE OF FLT TO ENSURE IT COMPLIED WITH THE RESTR. THE LOGBOOK WAS GIVEN TO US JUST PRIOR TO DEP. THE APU WAS PLACARDED ON AUG/WED/02 AND TODAY WAS AUG/THU/02. WE THOUGHT OUR FLT WAS THE SECOND FLT WITH THE INOP APU. WE DIDN'T REALIZE THAT THE APU HAD BEEN PLACARDED IN MAN ON AUG/WED/02, THEN FLEW MAN-ORD, THEN ORD-GLA ALL ON AUG/WED/02. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: OUR ACFT WAS LATE ARRIVING IN GLA AND WE WERE TRYING TO GET OUT ASAP. THE LOGBOOK WASN'T GIVEN TO US UNTIL JUST PRIOR TO DEP. WE HAD TO HAND-LOAD OUR RTE SINCE IT WOULDN'T UPLINK DUE TO AN OMISSION IN THE NAV DATABASE, AND HAD DIFFICULTY OBTAINING OUR OCEANIC CLRNC ON THE GND IN GLA VIA ACARS AND HAD TO CALL SHANWICK. DUE TO BEING OVERLOADED AND HURRIED, WE MISSED THE FACT THAT THE APU HAD BEEN PLACARDED IN MAN AND NOT ORD. IN THE FUTURE, I WILL SLOW DOWN, TAKE THE DELAY, AND METICULOUSLY EXAMINE THE LOGBOOK. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 556826: I ARRIVED AT THE GATE AT XA35 AND WAS ALLOWED ON THE ACFT AT XA45 FOR AN XB15 DEP -- 2 HRS LATE. THE MAINT BOOK WAS NOT YET ON THE ACFT. I LOOKED UP APU INOP IN THE MEL AND REVIEWED THIS EXTENSIVELY WITH BOTH CAPT/CHK AIRMAN. WE ALL CONCURRED THAT WE WERE LEGAL TO FLY THE ACFT ON ITS RETURN LEG TO ORD AS PER THE MEL.

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.

A B767-er is dispatched in violation of the requirements of the MEL, having an APU deferred past the second flight, from egpf, first officer.