A B737-800 was dispatched for overwater operations with the center tank fuel quantity indication inoperative. MEL had an engineering authority/authorized footnote at bottom of MEL special procedures page. No details on footnote.

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Attributes
ACN	707373
Time
Date	200608
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-800
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : parked ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	maintenance : technician
Experience	maintenance technician : 17
ASRS Report	707373
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	maintenance : technician oversight : supervisor
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : improper documentation maintenance problem : non compliance with mel non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : center tank fuel qty other flight crewa other other : 1
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other other
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : manuals performance deficiency : logbook entry
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Maintenance Human Performance Chart Or Publication Aircraft
Primary Problem	Chart Or Publication
Situations
Publication	MEL

Narrative:

On aug/mon/06; aircraft arrived with a center fuel tank quantity indication inoperative. During troubleshooting; it was determined that the fuel quantity indication was erroneous. Therefore; we ultimately placarded the system per MEL 28-07-1 due to time constraints. While placarding the system; we noticed a footnote regarding engineering authority/authorized X. I had asked the supervisor on duty about this particular issue. He proceeded to research this engineering authority/authorized; but to no avail; came up short of information regarding this engineering authority/authorized. I called maintenance control for the placard. I inquired about ETOPS restrs concerning the placard or any other precautions regarding the airworthiness of the aircraft. We installed the appropriate 'inoperative' stickers and placard and later performed the alternate fueling procedures to comply with the placard deviation dispatch procedures. The aircraft was dispatched accordingly without delay. It was my understanding that all policies and procedures were adhered to at the time of dispatch.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-800 WAS DISPATCHED FOR OVERWATER OPS WITH THE CTR TANK FUEL QUANTITY INDICATION INOP. MEL HAD AN ENGINEERING AUTH FOOTNOTE AT BOTTOM OF MEL SPECIAL PROCS PAGE. NO DETAILS ON FOOTNOTE.

Narrative: ON AUG/MON/06; ACFT ARRIVED WITH A CTR FUEL TANK QUANTITY INDICATION INOP. DURING TROUBLESHOOTING; IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE FUEL QUANTITY INDICATION WAS ERRONEOUS. THEREFORE; WE ULTIMATELY PLACARDED THE SYS PER MEL 28-07-1 DUE TO TIME CONSTRAINTS. WHILE PLACARDING THE SYS; WE NOTICED A FOOTNOTE REGARDING ENGINEERING AUTH X. I HAD ASKED THE SUPVR ON DUTY ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE. HE PROCEEDED TO RESEARCH THIS ENGINEERING AUTH; BUT TO NO AVAIL; CAME UP SHORT OF INFO REGARDING THIS ENGINEERING AUTH. I CALLED MAINT CTL FOR THE PLACARD. I INQUIRED ABOUT ETOPS RESTRS CONCERNING THE PLACARD OR ANY OTHER PRECAUTIONS REGARDING THE AIRWORTHINESS OF THE ACFT. WE INSTALLED THE APPROPRIATE 'INOP' STICKERS AND PLACARD AND LATER PERFORMED THE ALTERNATE FUELING PROCS TO COMPLY WITH THE PLACARD DEV DISPATCH PROCS. THE ACFT WAS DISPATCHED ACCORDINGLY WITHOUT DELAY. IT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT ALL POLICIES AND PROCS WERE ADHERED TO AT THE TIME OF DISPATCH.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.