Flight crew of a heavy transport air carrier aircraft operated the aircraft when an MEL had not been...

Attributes
ACN	253508
Time
Date	199310
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sdf
State Reference	KY
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zse
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Heavy Transport, Low Wing, 4 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff 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 : 60 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	253508
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far non adherence other 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	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

Aircraft had dmi issued against GPWS MEL log entry dated (oct/xx/93). Dmi entered on oct/xy/93. 'Discovery day' definition MEL definition page says clock for category 'a' dmi starts (2 flight days) from date of logbook entry, 2 flight days to fix not to include the date of entry. Aircraft would have been 'dead' for flight on oct/xz/93. Questioned aircraft maintenance control supervisor. He (company ground personnel) stated that clock didn't start until dmi is issued. Aircraft was legal for flight. At destination, times and definitions were researched further and found that crew was correct. Aircraft was 'dead' but operated flight upon maintenance insistence that it was legal. Rather than incur delay at sdf, I (captain) elected to take word of maintenance and operate aircraft. I should have taken the delay and pressed for clarification and their reference. Maintenance manager at destination (atl) agreed with crew.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF A HVT ACR ACFT OPERATED THE ACFT WHEN AN MEL HAD NOT BEEN COMPLIED WITH.

Narrative: ACFT HAD DMI ISSUED AGAINST GPWS MEL LOG ENTRY DATED (OCT/XX/93). DMI ENTERED ON OCT/XY/93. 'DISCOVERY DAY' DEFINITION MEL DEFINITION PAGE SAYS CLOCK FOR CATEGORY 'A' DMI STARTS (2 FLT DAYS) FROM DATE OF LOGBOOK ENTRY, 2 FLT DAYS TO FIX NOT TO INCLUDE THE DATE OF ENTRY. ACFT WOULD HAVE BEEN 'DEAD' FOR FLT ON OCT/XZ/93. QUESTIONED ACFT MAINT CTL SUPVR. HE (CGP) STATED THAT CLOCK DIDN'T START UNTIL DMI IS ISSUED. ACFT WAS LEGAL FOR FLT. AT DEST, TIMES AND DEFINITIONS WERE RESEARCHED FURTHER AND FOUND THAT CREW WAS CORRECT. ACFT WAS 'DEAD' BUT OPERATED FLT UPON MAINT INSISTENCE THAT IT WAS LEGAL. RATHER THAN INCUR DELAY AT SDF, I (CAPT) ELECTED TO TAKE WORD OF MAINT AND OPERATE ACFT. I SHOULD HAVE TAKEN THE DELAY AND PRESSED FOR CLARIFICATION AND THEIR REF. MAINT MGR AT DEST (ATL) AGREED WITH CREW.

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.

Flight crew of a heavy transport air carrier aircraft operated the aircraft when an MEL had not been complied with.