MEL interpretation.

Attributes
ACN	116678
Time
Date	198907
Day	Sat
Place
Locale Reference	airport : smf
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	116678
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Publication	Unspecified

Narrative:

On july/sat/89, I was assigned to fly air carrier xx medium large transport aircraft tail # XXXX as captain on flight xx from sacramento to chicago. After reviewing the logbook I determined a one generator procedure was to be used since the right engine generator had been placarded inoperative for the prior 5 days. After reviewing xa MEL, one generator procedure on MEL (believe it or not, there is not a one generator operation abnormal operation) I was informed by my company that everything was legal. After reaching cruising altitude I once again reviewed the one generator operation MEL requirements. After rereading paragraph zz on xa MEL several times, I am not exactly positive that the aircraft was legal to be flown in spite of the maintenance interpretation. It states 'air carrier moc-soc shall schedule at the next overnight station positive corrective action to...'. I am not sure after reading that paragraph many, many times over that it means 'attempts to get it fixed' as our operations/maintenance people stated to me. Recommend that MEL be changed or personnel at maintenance headquarters be rebriefed as to the meaning of the statement paragraph zz xa MEL.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MEL INTERPRETATION.

Narrative: ON JULY/SAT/89, I WAS ASSIGNED TO FLY ACR XX MLG ACFT TAIL # XXXX AS CAPT ON FLT XX FROM SACRAMENTO TO CHICAGO. AFTER REVIEWING THE LOGBOOK I DETERMINED A ONE GENERATOR PROC WAS TO BE USED SINCE THE RIGHT ENGINE GENERATOR HAD BEEN PLACARDED INOP FOR THE PRIOR 5 DAYS. AFTER REVIEWING XA MEL, ONE GENERATOR PROC ON MEL (BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THERE IS NOT A ONE GENERATOR OPERATION ABNORMAL OPERATION) I WAS INFORMED BY MY COMPANY THAT EVERYTHING WAS LEGAL. AFTER REACHING CRUISING ALT I ONCE AGAIN REVIEWED THE ONE GENERATOR OPERATION MEL REQUIREMENTS. AFTER REREADING PARAGRAPH ZZ ON XA MEL SEVERAL TIMES, I AM NOT EXACTLY POSITIVE THAT THE ACFT WAS LEGAL TO BE FLOWN IN SPITE OF THE MAINT INTERPRETATION. IT STATES 'ACR MOC-SOC SHALL SCHEDULE AT THE NEXT OVERNIGHT STATION POSITIVE CORRECTIVE ACTION TO...'. I AM NOT SURE AFTER READING THAT PARAGRAPH MANY, MANY TIMES OVER THAT IT MEANS 'ATTEMPTS TO GET IT FIXED' AS OUR OPERATIONS/MAINT PEOPLE STATED TO ME. RECOMMEND THAT MEL BE CHANGED OR PERSONNEL AT MAINT HEADQUARTERS BE REBRIEFED AS TO THE MEANING OF THE STATEMENT PARAGRAPH ZZ XA MEL.

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.