B737-300 crew had a flight attendant seat deferred in non compliance with the MEL.

Attributes
ACN	566813
Time
Date	200211
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : den.airport
State Reference	CO
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : mke.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 11500 flight time type : 3131
ASRS Report	566813
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time type : 2437
ASRS Report	566563
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe maintenance problem : non compliance with mel non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure non adherence : company policies other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact other
Consequence	other other
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : schedule pressure performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements performance deficiency : repair
Supplementary
Problem Areas	FAA Company Aircraft
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

Just prior to departure, the flight attendant advised us the forward jump seat would not retract. We put it in the logbook and advised maintenance. Maintenance deferred the jump seat and put an inoperative sticker on the jump seat and a placard that said for flight attendant use only. A new maintenance release document and MEL card were printed on ACARS 6 mins prior to push. I scanned the maintenance release document and MEL card and made sure the proper placards were in place. After further review en route, I discovered I had misunderstood the MEL card restrs. I called the maintenance controller upon arrival in stl to discuss my concern. He agreed the deferral did not apply in this case. He had an off-line mechanic fix the jump seat and remove the deferral in stl. The contributing factors were time and confusion with the MEL operations placard and the MEL card restrs. I confused the wording that applies to the most forward seat to mean the most forward passenger seat closest to the cockpit and was satisfied with the deferral at that time.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-300 CREW HAD A FLT ATTENDANT SEAT DEFERRED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH THE MEL.

Narrative: JUST PRIOR TO DEP, THE FLT ATTENDANT ADVISED US THE FORWARD JUMP SEAT WOULD NOT RETRACT. WE PUT IT IN THE LOGBOOK AND ADVISED MAINT. MAINT DEFERRED THE JUMP SEAT AND PUT AN INOP STICKER ON THE JUMP SEAT AND A PLACARD THAT SAID FOR FLT ATTENDANT USE ONLY. A NEW MAINT RELEASE DOCUMENT AND MEL CARD WERE PRINTED ON ACARS 6 MINS PRIOR TO PUSH. I SCANNED THE MAINT RELEASE DOCUMENT AND MEL CARD AND MADE SURE THE PROPER PLACARDS WERE IN PLACE. AFTER FURTHER REVIEW ENRTE, I DISCOVERED I HAD MISUNDERSTOOD THE MEL CARD RESTRS. I CALLED THE MAINT CTLR UPON ARR IN STL TO DISCUSS MY CONCERN. HE AGREED THE DEFERRAL DID NOT APPLY IN THIS CASE. HE HAD AN OFF-LINE MECH FIX THE JUMP SEAT AND REMOVE THE DEFERRAL IN STL. THE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE TIME AND CONFUSION WITH THE MEL OPS PLACARD AND THE MEL CARD RESTRS. I CONFUSED THE WORDING THAT APPLIES TO THE MOST FORWARD SEAT TO MEAN THE MOST FORWARD PAX SEAT CLOSEST TO THE COCKPIT AND WAS SATISFIED WITH THE DEFERRAL AT THAT TIME.

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.