Narrative:

During preflight, crew reviewed an existing MEL placard on fuel temperature indicator. While going through the MEL listing, crew could not determine whether checking the oil prior to each departure was required. From the aircraft the captain called operations, who in turn called company maintenance on the telephone to st louis. Company maintenance said their interpretation was that it was not required, but would be the captain's choice if he wanted it checked. Having no mechanic available the captain then elected to depart and have oil checked in stl. Flight proceeded without incident. The next day captain was informed that the interpretation was wrong, and flight was not conducted in compliance with MEL listing.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NON COMPLIANCE WITH ACFT MEL PROCS.

Narrative: DURING PREFLT, CREW REVIEWED AN EXISTING MEL PLACARD ON FUEL TEMP INDICATOR. WHILE GOING THROUGH THE MEL LISTING, CREW COULD NOT DETERMINE WHETHER CHKING THE OIL PRIOR TO EACH DEP WAS REQUIRED. FROM THE ACFT THE CAPT CALLED OPS, WHO IN TURN CALLED COMPANY MAINT ON THE TELEPHONE TO ST LOUIS. COMPANY MAINT SAID THEIR INTERP WAS THAT IT WAS NOT REQUIRED, BUT WOULD BE THE CAPT'S CHOICE IF HE WANTED IT CHKED. HAVING NO MECH AVAILABLE THE CAPT THEN ELECTED TO DEPART AND HAVE OIL CHKED IN STL. FLT PROCEEDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE NEXT DAY CAPT WAS INFORMED THAT THE INTERP WAS WRONG, AND FLT WAS NOT CONDUCTED IN COMPLIANCE WITH MEL LISTING.

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.