B737-300 crew had an overhead bin MEL'ed closed. The bin contained cabin emergency equipment.

Attributes
ACN	573775
Time
Date	200302
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bur.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 9500
ASRS Report	573775
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 630
ASRS Report	573776
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe maintenance problem : improper documentation maintenance problem : non compliance with mel non adherence : company policies non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other other : 4
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	other other
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : schedule pressure performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements performance deficiency : repair
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Maintenance Human Performance Company Aircraft
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

Broken bracket on overhead bin/MEL item. The first officer and myself were starting a 3-DAY sequence. The aircraft arrived 20 mins late, and during the crew change, the pilots informed us of a broken top bracket on an overhead bin. We called maintenance, and they inspected it and told us it would have to be MEL. (They did not have time to fix it.) under MEL, we were able to MEL it by taping it shut, and be on our way after the paperwork was complete. At no time on the ground were we informed that the broken overhead bin contained a megaphone. We departed, and upon arrival, the 'a' flight attendant informed us as she opened the cockpit door, that the bin had the megaphone in it. I decided to call dispatch to discuss the legality of this MEL, since the bin did contain a piece of emergency equipment. After discussing it with dispatch, the chief, and maintenance control, we decided to call out contract maintenance and get them to fix it since it was kind of a gray area according to the fom and MEL. We took about an hour and 15 min delay while the maintenance man took the bin to have it repaired. The mechanic signed off the bin after repairing it, and we departed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-300 CREW HAD AN OVERHEAD BIN MEL'ED CLOSED. THE BIN CONTAINED CABIN EMER EQUIP.

Narrative: BROKEN BRACKET ON OVERHEAD BIN/MEL ITEM. THE FO AND MYSELF WERE STARTING A 3-DAY SEQUENCE. THE ACFT ARRIVED 20 MINS LATE, AND DURING THE CREW CHANGE, THE PLTS INFORMED US OF A BROKEN TOP BRACKET ON AN OVERHEAD BIN. WE CALLED MAINT, AND THEY INSPECTED IT AND TOLD US IT WOULD HAVE TO BE MEL. (THEY DID NOT HAVE TIME TO FIX IT.) UNDER MEL, WE WERE ABLE TO MEL IT BY TAPING IT SHUT, AND BE ON OUR WAY AFTER THE PAPERWORK WAS COMPLETE. AT NO TIME ON THE GND WERE WE INFORMED THAT THE BROKEN OVERHEAD BIN CONTAINED A MEGAPHONE. WE DEPARTED, AND UPON ARR, THE 'A' FLT ATTENDANT INFORMED US AS SHE OPENED THE COCKPIT DOOR, THAT THE BIN HAD THE MEGAPHONE IN IT. I DECIDED TO CALL DISPATCH TO DISCUSS THE LEGALITY OF THIS MEL, SINCE THE BIN DID CONTAIN A PIECE OF EMER EQUIP. AFTER DISCUSSING IT WITH DISPATCH, THE CHIEF, AND MAINT CTL, WE DECIDED TO CALL OUT CONTRACT MAINT AND GET THEM TO FIX IT SINCE IT WAS KIND OF A GRAY AREA ACCORDING TO THE FOM AND MEL. WE TOOK ABOUT AN HR AND 15 MIN DELAY WHILE THE MAINT MAN TOOK THE BIN TO HAVE IT REPAIRED. THE MECH SIGNED OFF THE BIN AFTER REPAIRING IT, AND WE DEPARTED.

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.