Emb commuter crew had a popped circuit breaker that rendered the #2 FMS and CDU inoperative.

Attributes
ACN	607799
Time
Date	200402
Day	Mon
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : oma.tracon
State Reference	NE
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : oma.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Embraer Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	607799
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : company policies non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	other other
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : schedule pressure performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company FAA Aircraft Chart Or Publication
Primary Problem	Company
Situations
Publication	MEL

Narrative:

MEL procedures. During approach to oma, the FMS #2 circuit breaker popped and the FMS #2 CDU went blank. After arrival in oma, maintenance controller was contacted. Maintenance controller said they wanted to crew placard the FMS #2 under MEL X, but they first wanted to determine if there were any other components on the circuit breaker other than the FMS #2 and CDU #2. After about 40 mins, the crew placarding procedure was accomplished. At no time was the attempt made to reset the circuit breaker. After arrival in ord local maintenance told us that a component cannot be MEL'ed if its circuit breaker popped. I can find no reference for this in our manuals. Local maintenance in ZZZ says there is no reference for this in writing, but is an instruction from the FAA. If this procedure is policy, I believe we need amended MEL guidance as for the new policy.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EMB COMMUTER CREW HAD A POPPED CIRCUIT BREAKER THAT RENDERED THE #2 FMS AND CDU INOP.

Narrative: MEL PROCS. DURING APCH TO OMA, THE FMS #2 CIRCUIT BREAKER POPPED AND THE FMS #2 CDU WENT BLANK. AFTER ARR IN OMA, MAINT CTLR WAS CONTACTED. MAINT CTLR SAID THEY WANTED TO CREW PLACARD THE FMS #2 UNDER MEL X, BUT THEY FIRST WANTED TO DETERMINE IF THERE WERE ANY OTHER COMPONENTS ON THE CIRCUIT BREAKER OTHER THAN THE FMS #2 AND CDU #2. AFTER ABOUT 40 MINS, THE CREW PLACARDING PROC WAS ACCOMPLISHED. AT NO TIME WAS THE ATTEMPT MADE TO RESET THE CIRCUIT BREAKER. AFTER ARR IN ORD LCL MAINT TOLD US THAT A COMPONENT CANNOT BE MEL'ED IF ITS CIRCUIT BREAKER POPPED. I CAN FIND NO REF FOR THIS IN OUR MANUALS. LCL MAINT IN ZZZ SAYS THERE IS NO REF FOR THIS IN WRITING, BUT IS AN INSTRUCTION FROM THE FAA. IF THIS PROC IS POLICY, I BELIEVE WE NEED AMENDED MEL GUIDANCE AS FOR THE NEW POLICY.

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.