Narrative:

On nov/sat/02 I was assigned to work a flight from ZZZ to dfw, flight #air carrier X. Before departure, the outbound crew found a head rest at aisle seat #12 D damaged and broken off. When I called maintenance center for an MEL, they told me to placard it under reference 25-18B, options #2. They also told me that I did not have to accomplish the entire MEL procedure. The way I read the MEL is that I must block out the aisle seat #12 D, the seats inboard of that, and the seats directly behind the inoperative seats. Maintenance center is telling me no, the only seat I have to placard inoperative is the 1 seat #12D, with which I disagree. I do not see, nor do I read into the MEL the option to deviation from the MEL procedure. After calling back for an authority/authorized number, I spoke to another maintenance center representative, who suggested to use pdl reference 10-99F. After reviewing the paperwork, I made the determination that pdl 10-99F better reflected the problem I was dealing with, as the headrest is part of the seat cushion. After calling back for the pdl authority/authorized, I spoke to yet another maintenance center representative, who said that this was not the proper procedure either, at which point I made the decision that pdl 10-99F best covered the problem. I am as soon as possible'ing this, because in the future, I would like to know which procedure I should use since I talked to 3 different maintenance center representatives and got 3 different opinions. I feel that MEL 25-18B is not clear, and I would like the as soon as possible committee to look into this.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD80 TECHNICIAN RPTS CONFUSION ON DEFERRAL AUTH OF A PAX SEAT HEADREST. DEFERRAL AUTH MEL OR PARTS DEV LIST?

Narrative: ON NOV/SAT/02 I WAS ASSIGNED TO WORK A FLT FROM ZZZ TO DFW, FLT #ACR X. BEFORE DEP, THE OUTBOUND CREW FOUND A HEAD REST AT AISLE SEAT #12 D DAMAGED AND BROKEN OFF. WHEN I CALLED MAINT CTR FOR AN MEL, THEY TOLD ME TO PLACARD IT UNDER REF 25-18B, OPTIONS #2. THEY ALSO TOLD ME THAT I DID NOT HAVE TO ACCOMPLISH THE ENTIRE MEL PROC. THE WAY I READ THE MEL IS THAT I MUST BLOCK OUT THE AISLE SEAT #12 D, THE SEATS INBOARD OF THAT, AND THE SEATS DIRECTLY BEHIND THE INOP SEATS. MAINT CTR IS TELLING ME NO, THE ONLY SEAT I HAVE TO PLACARD INOP IS THE 1 SEAT #12D, WITH WHICH I DISAGREE. I DO NOT SEE, NOR DO I READ INTO THE MEL THE OPTION TO DEV FROM THE MEL PROC. AFTER CALLING BACK FOR AN AUTH NUMBER, I SPOKE TO ANOTHER MAINT CTR REPRESENTATIVE, WHO SUGGESTED TO USE PDL REF 10-99F. AFTER REVIEWING THE PAPERWORK, I MADE THE DETERMINATION THAT PDL 10-99F BETTER REFLECTED THE PROB I WAS DEALING WITH, AS THE HEADREST IS PART OF THE SEAT CUSHION. AFTER CALLING BACK FOR THE PDL AUTH, I SPOKE TO YET ANOTHER MAINT CTR REPRESENTATIVE, WHO SAID THAT THIS WAS NOT THE PROPER PROC EITHER, AT WHICH POINT I MADE THE DECISION THAT PDL 10-99F BEST COVERED THE PROB. I AM ASAP'ING THIS, BECAUSE IN THE FUTURE, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHICH PROC I SHOULD USE SINCE I TALKED TO 3 DIFFERENT MAINT CTR REPRESENTATIVES AND GOT 3 DIFFERENT OPINIONS. I FEEL THAT MEL 25-18B IS NOT CLR, AND I WOULD LIKE THE ASAP COMMITTEE TO LOOK INTO THIS.

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.