An MD80 crew was dispatched with no oxygen per the MEL.

Attributes
ACN	627520
Time
Date	200405
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : den.airport
State Reference	CO
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : egss.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : preflight ground : parked ground : maintenance
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	627520
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : improper maintenance
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : crew oxygen indicators other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	other
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : schedule pressure contributing factor : non availability of parts performance deficiency : repair
Supplementary
Problem Areas	FAA Maintenance Human Performance Company Aircraft
Primary Problem	Company
Situations
Publication	Master MEL

Narrative:

On 8/sun/04 our flight landed in den normally. While deplaning our passenger we noticed our flow indicators on our oxygen masks were red. We then checked our oxygen bottle and it was empty. We then wrote it up in the logbook and called maintenance. After a long discussion with maintenance dispatch, and flight manager on duty, we dispatched our return flight to ZZZ under MEL XXX, crew oxygen system inoperative, and flew back to ZZZ at 10000 ft. The flight was normal and went without incident. On our next trip, the captain and I noticed a difference between our MEL and other manual checklists. After further discussion, it is my opinion that the MEL should be changed to include a minimum oxygen bottle pressure for the masks in the unlikely event you have to remove smoke from the cockpit.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD80 CREW WAS DISPATCHED WITH NO OXYGEN PER THE MEL.

Narrative: ON 8/SUN/04 OUR FLT LANDED IN DEN NORMALLY. WHILE DEPLANING OUR PAX WE NOTICED OUR FLOW INDICATORS ON OUR OXYGEN MASKS WERE RED. WE THEN CHECKED OUR OXYGEN BOTTLE AND IT WAS EMPTY. WE THEN WROTE IT UP IN THE LOGBOOK AND CALLED MAINT. AFTER A LONG DISCUSSION WITH MAINT DISPATCH, AND FLT MGR ON DUTY, WE DISPATCHED OUR RETURN FLT TO ZZZ UNDER MEL XXX, CREW OXYGEN SYSTEM INOP, AND FLEW BACK TO ZZZ AT 10000 FT. THE FLT WAS NORMAL AND WENT WITHOUT INCIDENT. ON OUR NEXT TRIP, THE CAPT AND I NOTICED A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN OUR MEL AND OTHER MANUAL CHECKLISTS. AFTER FURTHER DISCUSSION, IT IS MY OPINION THAT THE MEL SHOULD BE CHANGED TO INCLUDE A MINIMUM OXYGEN BOTTLE PRESSURE FOR THE MASKS IN THE UNLIKELY EVENT YOU HAVE TO REMOVE SMOKE FROM THE COCKPIT.

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.