Narrative:

I received aircraft (emb-120) from the previous crew with a write-up in the aircraft logbook for a faulty hydraulic pressure gauge. Maintenance returned the logbook to the aircraft with the pressure gauge deferred per the MEL. They signed off the airworthiness sign-off and told me I could take the aircraft to fwa but that a mechanic would have to ride along to visually check the fluid level after each leg. The mechanic boarded the aircraft and checked the fluid after each of the 4 legs. The hydraulic quantity indicator on the same system had been deferred earlier the same day. I found out later that day after completing both round trips that the MEL does not allow for the quantity and pressure gauges to be deferred at the same time. Evidently the maintenance personnel did not read the MEL carefully or they knew and signed the airworthiness release anyway! In the future I will watch their work more carefully. These folks cannot be trusted as I am told by our chief pilot! Ultimately, the PIC is responsible for everything, however in an environment as complicated as this we must be able to trust our fellow co-workers to do their jobs according to the regulations!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF AN LTT ACFT OPERATED THE ACFT WHEN IT DID NOT COMPLY WITH THE ACFT MEL PROVISIONS.

Narrative: I RECEIVED ACFT (EMB-120) FROM THE PREVIOUS CREW WITH A WRITE-UP IN THE ACFT LOGBOOK FOR A FAULTY HYD PRESSURE GAUGE. MAINT RETURNED THE LOGBOOK TO THE ACFT WITH THE PRESSURE GAUGE DEFERRED PER THE MEL. THEY SIGNED OFF THE AIRWORTHINESS SIGN-OFF AND TOLD ME I COULD TAKE THE ACFT TO FWA BUT THAT A MECH WOULD HAVE TO RIDE ALONG TO VISUALLY CHK THE FLUID LEVEL AFTER EACH LEG. THE MECH BOARDED THE ACFT AND CHKED THE FLUID AFTER EACH OF THE 4 LEGS. THE HYD QUANTITY INDICATOR ON THE SAME SYS HAD BEEN DEFERRED EARLIER THE SAME DAY. I FOUND OUT LATER THAT DAY AFTER COMPLETING BOTH ROUND TRIPS THAT THE MEL DOES NOT ALLOW FOR THE QUANTITY AND PRESSURE GAUGES TO BE DEFERRED AT THE SAME TIME. EVIDENTLY THE MAINT PERSONNEL DID NOT READ THE MEL CAREFULLY OR THEY KNEW AND SIGNED THE AIRWORTHINESS RELEASE ANYWAY! IN THE FUTURE I WILL WATCH THEIR WORK MORE CAREFULLY. THESE FOLKS CANNOT BE TRUSTED AS I AM TOLD BY OUR CHIEF PLT! ULTIMATELY, THE PIC IS RESPONSIBLE FOR EVERYTHING, HOWEVER IN AN ENVIRONMENT AS COMPLICATED AS THIS WE MUST BE ABLE TO TRUST OUR FELLOW CO-WORKERS TO DO THEIR JOBS ACCORDING TO THE REGS!

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.