Aircraft was released for flight but was not in compliance with MEL.

Attributes
ACN	80215
Time
Date	198801
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sfo
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : mkc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
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 : 6000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	80215
Person 2
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Received aircraft with an MEL the was bastardized by maintenance (ie, paragraph # not exist in the book). Called maintenance by phone and they said they did an engineering change (paperwork type) for the flight and it was legal to fly it, so I did. I had to rely on them that this was the proper sign off in the logbook. Trusting maintenance these days is sometimes very difficult. I wish I had an answer to dereg. Analyst note: MEL item was one fire detector loop inoperative.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT WAS RELEASED FOR FLT BUT WAS NOT IN COMPLIANCE WITH MEL.

Narrative: RECEIVED ACFT WITH AN MEL THE WAS BASTARDIZED BY MAINT (IE, PARAGRAPH # NOT EXIST IN THE BOOK). CALLED MAINT BY PHONE AND THEY SAID THEY DID AN ENGINEERING CHANGE (PAPERWORK TYPE) FOR THE FLT AND IT WAS LEGAL TO FLY IT, SO I DID. I HAD TO RELY ON THEM THAT THIS WAS THE PROPER SIGN OFF IN THE LOGBOOK. TRUSTING MAINT THESE DAYS IS SOMETIMES VERY DIFFICULT. I WISH I HAD AN ANSWER TO DEREG. ANALYST NOTE: MEL ITEM WAS ONE FIRE DETECTOR LOOP INOP.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.