BE1900 crew was released with an improperly MEL'ed first officer attitude indicator which was illega...

Attributes
ACN	558615
Time
Date	200208
Day	Wed
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
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Beech 1900
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	ground : maintenance ground : parked
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 225 flight time total : 3400 flight time type : 450
ASRS Report	558615
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : captain
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : improper documentation maintenance problem : improper maintenance maintenance problem : non compliance with mel non adherence : published procedure non adherence : company policies non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : schedule pressure performance deficiency : training performance deficiency : unqualified personnel performance deficiency : logbook entry performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements performance deficiency : repair
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Maintenance Human Performance FAA Company Aircraft
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

First officer's attitude indicator took 5-7 mins to erect (spool up on display), so we write up 'copilot's attitude indicator takes 5-7 mins to work.' maintenance deferred the attitude indicator as MEL 34-3 category B. Keep in mind, we were flying with a total of 5 mels at the time. After a day of flying, we realized that the attitude indicator is not in the MEL book and cannot be deferred. We were xferring the captain's attitude indicator to the first officer's side (EFIS system), and we also waited for the copilot's attitude indicator to warm up (5-7 mins). Needless to say, we flew with a wrong write-up and an item that can't be deferred. Contributing factors include a maintenance crew that didn't understand the difference between an attitude indicator and a directional gyro. They deferred the directional gyro when they meant to defer the attitude indicator (which can't be deferred to begin with). Next factor is the abundance of mels on the aircraft and the human unwillingness to verify each write-up is correct and substantiated. In the future, I will take the time to ensure each write-up is verified and written up correctly in accordance to the MEL and safety. Lastly, I want to state that the attitude indicator (copilot's side) did work. It just took a few mins to come up on the electronic attitude directional indicator.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BE1900 CREW WAS RELEASED WITH AN IMPROPERLY MEL'ED FO ATTITUDE INDICATOR WHICH WAS ILLEGAL TO DEFER.

Narrative: FO'S ATTITUDE INDICATOR TOOK 5-7 MINS TO ERECT (SPOOL UP ON DISPLAY), SO WE WRITE UP 'COPLT'S ATTITUDE INDICATOR TAKES 5-7 MINS TO WORK.' MAINT DEFERRED THE ATTITUDE INDICATOR AS MEL 34-3 CATEGORY B. KEEP IN MIND, WE WERE FLYING WITH A TOTAL OF 5 MELS AT THE TIME. AFTER A DAY OF FLYING, WE REALIZED THAT THE ATTITUDE INDICATOR IS NOT IN THE MEL BOOK AND CANNOT BE DEFERRED. WE WERE XFERRING THE CAPT'S ATTITUDE INDICATOR TO THE FO'S SIDE (EFIS SYS), AND WE ALSO WAITED FOR THE COPLT'S ATTITUDE INDICATOR TO WARM UP (5-7 MINS). NEEDLESS TO SAY, WE FLEW WITH A WRONG WRITE-UP AND AN ITEM THAT CAN'T BE DEFERRED. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS INCLUDE A MAINT CREW THAT DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE BTWN AN ATTITUDE INDICATOR AND A DIRECTIONAL GYRO. THEY DEFERRED THE DIRECTIONAL GYRO WHEN THEY MEANT TO DEFER THE ATTITUDE INDICATOR (WHICH CAN'T BE DEFERRED TO BEGIN WITH). NEXT FACTOR IS THE ABUNDANCE OF MELS ON THE ACFT AND THE HUMAN UNWILLINGNESS TO VERIFY EACH WRITE-UP IS CORRECT AND SUBSTANTIATED. IN THE FUTURE, I WILL TAKE THE TIME TO ENSURE EACH WRITE-UP IS VERIFIED AND WRITTEN UP CORRECTLY IN ACCORDANCE TO THE MEL AND SAFETY. LASTLY, I WANT TO STATE THAT THE ATTITUDE INDICATOR (COPLT'S SIDE) DID WORK. IT JUST TOOK A FEW MINS TO COME UP ON THE ELECTRONIC ATTITUDE DIRECTIONAL INDICATOR.

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.

BE1900 crew was released with an improperly MEL'ed first officer attitude indicator which was illegal to defer.