Narrative:

I had a discrepancy with our maintenance department on MEL item abc with '#1 engine, left ignition system' appeared to be malfunctioning on an medium large transport a. Our airline had just implemented a new MEL approved by FAA. Misinterp occurred when I noticed in new MEL that there was no provision for this item on an medium large transport a, but that there was for an medium large transport B high energy system. I consulted my supervisor and we ascertained that there could have been a misprint on the new mew, since this item was deferrable in the previous MEL and aircraft could fly with left ignition system inoperative, provided not flown into rain, thunderstorm or sleet. Later I researched MEL item and found that there was no misprint. The item had been deleted from the new MEL completely and our dispatch specialist would put out a memo clarifying the new MEL's intent. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter dispatcher states that the confusion arose in regard to the note concerning the ignition system on the basic aircraft. This confusion has been cleared up in subsequent revision. Supplemental information from acn 136836: pulled out the MEL and it did not address the medium large transport a ignition system. Got a phone patch with dispatch and maintenance at home base, and they advised to continue per MEL abc.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MINIMUM EQUIPMENT LIST INTERP FOLLOWING RECENT CHANGE LEADS TO POSSIBLE DISPATCH LEGALITY PROBLEM.

Narrative: I HAD A DISCREPANCY WITH OUR MAINT DEPT ON MEL ITEM ABC WITH '#1 ENG, LEFT IGNITION SYS' APPEARED TO BE MALFUNCTIONING ON AN MLG A. OUR AIRLINE HAD JUST IMPLEMENTED A NEW MEL APPROVED BY FAA. MISINTERP OCCURRED WHEN I NOTICED IN NEW MEL THAT THERE WAS NO PROVISION FOR THIS ITEM ON AN MLG A, BUT THAT THERE WAS FOR AN MLG B HIGH ENERGY SYS. I CONSULTED MY SUPVR AND WE ASCERTAINED THAT THERE COULD HAVE BEEN A MISPRINT ON THE NEW MEW, SINCE THIS ITEM WAS DEFERRABLE IN THE PREVIOUS MEL AND ACFT COULD FLY WITH LEFT IGNITION SYS INOP, PROVIDED NOT FLOWN INTO RAIN, TSTM OR SLEET. LATER I RESEARCHED MEL ITEM AND FOUND THAT THERE WAS NO MISPRINT. THE ITEM HAD BEEN DELETED FROM THE NEW MEL COMPLETELY AND OUR DISPATCH SPECIALIST WOULD PUT OUT A MEMO CLARIFYING THE NEW MEL'S INTENT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR DISPATCHER STATES THAT THE CONFUSION AROSE IN REGARD TO THE NOTE CONCERNING THE IGNITION SYS ON THE BASIC ACFT. THIS CONFUSION HAS BEEN CLRED UP IN SUBSEQUENT REVISION. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 136836: PULLED OUT THE MEL AND IT DID NOT ADDRESS THE MLG A IGNITION SYS. GOT A PHONE PATCH WITH DISPATCH AND MAINT AT HOME BASE, AND THEY ADVISED TO CONTINUE PER MEL ABC.

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.