An air carrier medium large transport crew flew an aircraft with only 1 operative airspeed indicator...

Attributes
ACN	258355
Time
Date	199311
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : jax
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	258355
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 8400 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	258356
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I preflted our aircraft and found that the first officer's airspeed indicator was inoperative. I called maintenance and put the discrepancy into the logbook. Our aircraft was designed to use EFIS, but our company never had them installed. In the equipment bay, there are EFIS compatible parts. Our maintenance person told us that houston maintenance control ok'd an MEL which allowed us to operate the aircraft. One of the restrictions to the MEL says, 'a) EFIS speed tape displays are installed and operate normally.' we pointed this restriction out to our maintenance person. He told us he would check with houston maintenance. He came back a short time later and told us, 'they said the MEL was ok.' when we got to fll, they told us it was not and changed the airspeed indicator. It would help if the MEL was written for people and not lawyers. Supplemental information from acn 258356: the MEL indicated that it was ok to proceed. I was not satisfied with the MEL and asked the mechanic to call maintenance in houston. On arrival at the next station, I wanted a reconfirmation on the airspeed indicator. Houston maintenance told him that the MEL did not relate to this aircraft confign.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR MLG CREW FLEW AN ACFT WITH ONLY 1 OPERATIVE AIRSPD INDICATOR.

Narrative: I PREFLTED OUR ACFT AND FOUND THAT THE FO'S AIRSPD INDICATOR WAS INOP. I CALLED MAINT AND PUT THE DISCREPANCY INTO THE LOGBOOK. OUR ACFT WAS DESIGNED TO USE EFIS, BUT OUR COMPANY NEVER HAD THEM INSTALLED. IN THE EQUIP BAY, THERE ARE EFIS COMPATIBLE PARTS. OUR MAINT PERSON TOLD US THAT HOUSTON MAINT CTL OK'D AN MEL WHICH ALLOWED US TO OPERATE THE ACFT. ONE OF THE RESTRICTIONS TO THE MEL SAYS, 'A) EFIS SPD TAPE DISPLAYS ARE INSTALLED AND OPERATE NORMALLY.' WE POINTED THIS RESTRICTION OUT TO OUR MAINT PERSON. HE TOLD US HE WOULD CHK WITH HOUSTON MAINT. HE CAME BACK A SHORT TIME LATER AND TOLD US, 'THEY SAID THE MEL WAS OK.' WHEN WE GOT TO FLL, THEY TOLD US IT WAS NOT AND CHANGED THE AIRSPD INDICATOR. IT WOULD HELP IF THE MEL WAS WRITTEN FOR PEOPLE AND NOT LAWYERS. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 258356: THE MEL INDICATED THAT IT WAS OK TO PROCEED. I WAS NOT SATISFIED WITH THE MEL AND ASKED THE MECH TO CALL MAINT IN HOUSTON. ON ARR AT THE NEXT STATION, I WANTED A RECONFIRMATION ON THE AIRSPD INDICATOR. HOUSTON MAINT TOLD HIM THAT THE MEL DID NOT RELATE TO THIS ACFT CONFIGN.

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.