Narrative:

As captain of aircraft, on starting and during normal checklist, I noticed #1 AC generator annunciator light on. I had in my mind that we could depart with no problem, even looked up in the MEL. Wrong item on the MEL. What I was looking at was the light itself, not the generator being inoperative. The moc gave us a number for the deferral and off we went. AC generator inoperative is a no-go item. On the better side, WX had improved, so we were only IFR a very short time on the climb out. Events leading up to this were: merger problems 8 months prior. A lot of mechanical write-up by other crew, unfounded. Lots of time out on the road -- not liking it. Always scheduling problems -- added 4 days to bid schedule. Both sides of elderly family in very poor health. Trying to do my best to keep things running -- my nature. On that day, flight was delayed due to WX/ATC flow control for more than an hour. As I look back I had the 'go' syndrome. What was in the MEL and what I wanted to see were 2 different things. It didn't register that way until the next morning just after I got up for a flight. You know the feeling, when you know you have dome something very wrong. We had a phone patch through bwi, the reception was broken up to the point I heard only about 2/3 of what the moc was saying. I am sure that we would not have taken off if the communications were clear. I am not sure if the moc understood the MEL as he should, or maybe I persuaded him to think as I was. The next time if communication is not clear, I shall return to the gate and not be in such a hurry. Just another grave lesson -- well learned.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MEL DEV VIOLATION OF FARS.

Narrative: AS CAPT OF ACFT, ON STARTING AND DURING NORMAL CHKLIST, I NOTICED #1 AC GENERATOR ANNUNCIATOR LIGHT ON. I HAD IN MY MIND THAT WE COULD DEPART WITH NO PROB, EVEN LOOKED UP IN THE MEL. WRONG ITEM ON THE MEL. WHAT I WAS LOOKING AT WAS THE LIGHT ITSELF, NOT THE GENERATOR BEING INOP. THE MOC GAVE US A NUMBER FOR THE DEFERRAL AND OFF WE WENT. AC GENERATOR INOP IS A NO-GO ITEM. ON THE BETTER SIDE, WX HAD IMPROVED, SO WE WERE ONLY IFR A VERY SHORT TIME ON THE CLBOUT. EVENTS LEADING UP TO THIS WERE: MERGER PROBS 8 MONTHS PRIOR. A LOT OF MECHANICAL WRITE-UP BY OTHER CREW, UNFOUNDED. LOTS OF TIME OUT ON THE ROAD -- NOT LIKING IT. ALWAYS SCHEDULING PROBS -- ADDED 4 DAYS TO BID SCHEDULE. BOTH SIDES OF ELDERLY FAMILY IN VERY POOR HEALTH. TRYING TO DO MY BEST TO KEEP THINGS RUNNING -- MY NATURE. ON THAT DAY, FLT WAS DELAYED DUE TO WX/ATC FLOW CTL FOR MORE THAN AN HR. AS I LOOK BACK I HAD THE 'GO' SYNDROME. WHAT WAS IN THE MEL AND WHAT I WANTED TO SEE WERE 2 DIFFERENT THINGS. IT DIDN'T REGISTER THAT WAY UNTIL THE NEXT MORNING JUST AFTER I GOT UP FOR A FLT. YOU KNOW THE FEELING, WHEN YOU KNOW YOU HAVE DOME SOMETHING VERY WRONG. WE HAD A PHONE PATCH THROUGH BWI, THE RECEPTION WAS BROKEN UP TO THE POINT I HEARD ONLY ABOUT 2/3 OF WHAT THE MOC WAS SAYING. I AM SURE THAT WE WOULD NOT HAVE TAKEN OFF IF THE COMS WERE CLR. I AM NOT SURE IF THE MOC UNDERSTOOD THE MEL AS HE SHOULD, OR MAYBE I PERSUADED HIM TO THINK AS I WAS. THE NEXT TIME IF COM IS NOT CLR, I SHALL RETURN TO THE GATE AND NOT BE IN SUCH A HURRY. JUST ANOTHER GRAVE LESSON -- WELL LEARNED.

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.