Narrative:

On jan, fri, 1994, I was flying with a management pilot (captain). I arrived at the aircraft to find the captain already in the cockpit, and I then proceeded with my preflight. The aircraft was apparently written up for an inoperative hydraulic gauge (quantity) on the green system. A mechanic was on board and informed us that he would be flying with us because he had to visually check the hydraulic quantity each leg, as the MEL requires that. We then flew 4 legs with the mechanic. On the jan/mon/94, I ran into the management pilot in the crew room in pittsburgh and he called me aside and informed me that the aircraft, an emb-120, was not airworthy, that day we flew it because both hydraulic quantity and pressure gauges were deferred and that, that was a no go item per the MEL. He also said he did not consult the MEL because maintenance had signed the aircraft airworthy. I guess the only way I could have avoided this would have been to consult the MEL myself. Though it's not my duty as a first officer.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR EMB-120 FLEW WITH BOTH ITS HYD PRESSURE AND QUANTITY GAUGES INOP ON ITS 'GREEN' SYS.

Narrative: ON JAN, FRI, 1994, I WAS FLYING WITH A MGMNT PLT (CAPT). I ARRIVED AT THE ACFT TO FIND THE CAPT ALREADY IN THE COCKPIT, AND I THEN PROCEEDED WITH MY PREFLT. THE ACFT WAS APPARENTLY WRITTEN UP FOR AN INOPERATIVE HYD GAUGE (QUANTITY) ON THE GREEN SYS. A MECH WAS ON BOARD AND INFORMED US THAT HE WOULD BE FLYING WITH US BECAUSE HE HAD TO VISUALLY CHK THE HYD QUANTITY EACH LEG, AS THE MEL REQUIRES THAT. WE THEN FLEW 4 LEGS WITH THE MECH. ON THE JAN/MON/94, I RAN INTO THE MGMNT PLT IN THE CREW ROOM IN PITTSBURGH AND HE CALLED ME ASIDE AND INFORMED ME THAT THE ACFT, AN EMB-120, WAS NOT AIRWORTHY, THAT DAY WE FLEW IT BECAUSE BOTH HYD QUANTITY AND PRESSURE GAUGES WERE DEFERRED AND THAT, THAT WAS A NO GO ITEM PER THE MEL. HE ALSO SAID HE DID NOT CONSULT THE MEL BECAUSE MAINT HAD SIGNED THE ACFT AIRWORTHY. I GUESS THE ONLY WAY I COULD HAVE AVOIDED THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN TO CONSULT THE MEL MYSELF. THOUGH IT'S NOT MY DUTY AS A FO.

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.