Narrative:

Departed with an MEL item not on the dispatch release. Also, the MEL item that was subsequently added to our release was the wrong MEL item for the situation. We arrived late at the aircraft due to traffic from the hotel to the airport. Somewhat rushed, I checked the logbook and read the maintenance write-up and sign-off. Write-up: '#2 N1 indicates about 6 percent lower than #1 and #3 on takeoff power at dtw. Slight fluctuations indicate erratic tape.' signoff: 'deferred as per MEL #xb placard #1 entered in lids.' as we had flown this aircraft the day before and noted a slightly lower N1 on #2 engine at takeoff power, I was comfortable with the situation. Thinking it was an informational placard, (I overlooked the MEL number) I went on with my preflight. The so saw me read the logbook. Since I had just come from flight planning he thought that I checked that the MEL item was on the dispatch release. It was not. Also, the so thought the placard was MEL item, MEL xa (which it should have been) and not MEL xb which is more restrictive and made our subsequent takeoff illegal on paper. The mechanic also should have followed the MEL directions in filling out the placards as that would have clarified the situation. MEL #xb states for the mechanic to placard: 'N1 indicating system inoperative and engine fail warning lights inoperative.' MEL #xa states for the mechanic to placard: 'N1 indicating system inoperative and engine fail warning lights operative.' we received an amendment to the dispatch release a couple hours into the flight listing MEL #xb. We advised dispatch through ACARS that the MEL item should be MEL #xa. We also wrote it up in the maintenance logbook to change the MEL number.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF A WDB ACR ACFT TOOK OFF CONTRARY TO AN MEL RECORDED RESTR.

Narrative: DEPARTED WITH AN MEL ITEM NOT ON THE DISPATCH RELEASE. ALSO, THE MEL ITEM THAT WAS SUBSEQUENTLY ADDED TO OUR RELEASE WAS THE WRONG MEL ITEM FOR THE SIT. WE ARRIVED LATE AT THE ACFT DUE TO TFC FROM THE HOTEL TO THE ARPT. SOMEWHAT RUSHED, I CHKED THE LOGBOOK AND READ THE MAINT WRITE-UP AND SIGN-OFF. WRITE-UP: '#2 N1 INDICATES ABOUT 6 PERCENT LOWER THAN #1 AND #3 ON TKOF PWR AT DTW. SLIGHT FLUCTUATIONS INDICATE ERRATIC TAPE.' SIGNOFF: 'DEFERRED AS PER MEL #XB PLACARD #1 ENTERED IN LIDS.' AS WE HAD FLOWN THIS ACFT THE DAY BEFORE AND NOTED A SLIGHTLY LOWER N1 ON #2 ENG AT TKOF PWR, I WAS COMFORTABLE WITH THE SIT. THINKING IT WAS AN INFORMATIONAL PLACARD, (I OVERLOOKED THE MEL NUMBER) I WENT ON WITH MY PREFLT. THE SO SAW ME READ THE LOGBOOK. SINCE I HAD JUST COME FROM FLT PLANNING HE THOUGHT THAT I CHKED THAT THE MEL ITEM WAS ON THE DISPATCH RELEASE. IT WAS NOT. ALSO, THE SO THOUGHT THE PLACARD WAS MEL ITEM, MEL XA (WHICH IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN) AND NOT MEL XB WHICH IS MORE RESTRICTIVE AND MADE OUR SUBSEQUENT TKOF ILLEGAL ON PAPER. THE MECH ALSO SHOULD HAVE FOLLOWED THE MEL DIRECTIONS IN FILLING OUT THE PLACARDS AS THAT WOULD HAVE CLARIFIED THE SIT. MEL #XB STATES FOR THE MECH TO PLACARD: 'N1 INDICATING SYS INOP AND ENG FAIL WARNING LIGHTS INOP.' MEL #XA STATES FOR THE MECH TO PLACARD: 'N1 INDICATING SYS INOP AND ENG FAIL WARNING LIGHTS OPERATIVE.' WE RECEIVED AN AMENDMENT TO THE DISPATCH RELEASE A COUPLE HRS INTO THE FLT LISTING MEL #XB. WE ADVISED DISPATCH THROUGH ACARS THAT THE MEL ITEM SHOULD BE MEL #XA. WE ALSO WROTE IT UP IN THE MAINT LOGBOOK TO CHANGE THE MEL NUMBER.

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.