Narrative:

At the time that I did the release for air carrier flight X, F100 I must have been complacent, in a hurry, or both to have misread the requirements of MEL 78-01 (both thrust reverse inoperative). I was concerned that the runways at albany and alternate syracuse were not slippery and able to provide suitable braking for an inoperative thrust reverser. The MEL item states that both must be operative on slippery runways, and one may be inoperative if locked in stowed position. Air carrier flight departed chicago and arrived in albany to overnight. On feb, tues, aircraft was maintenance ferried back to chicago for repairs. Supplemental information from acn 262452: thrust reversers were unable to deploy above idle thrust. In my haste, I misread the MEL book and approved the placard with both reversers inoperative. I read into the MEL what I wanted it to say. Supplemental information from acn 262472: during pwrback I discovered that reverse thrust would not go above idle power. Myself, dispatch and technicians all determined we could operate safely in accordance with the aircraft MEL with both thrust reversers placarded inoperative. It was discovered, through closer examination of the MEL, the aircraft was required to have at least 1 operating thrust reverser. The MEL is written in such a way that it easily led several people to believe the aircraft was legal to fly. Supplemental information from acn 262595: besides my personal discovery of the MEL deviation a rewrite of the item in question would help prevent another occurrence of misinterp. My company is in the process of the rewrite.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR F-100 WAS DISPATCHED IN THE DEAD OF WINTER WITH BOTH REVERSERS INOP.

Narrative: AT THE TIME THAT I DID THE RELEASE FOR ACR FLT X, F100 I MUST HAVE BEEN COMPLACENT, IN A HURRY, OR BOTH TO HAVE MISREAD THE REQUIREMENTS OF MEL 78-01 (BOTH THRUST REVERSE INOP). I WAS CONCERNED THAT THE RWYS AT ALBANY AND ALTERNATE SYRACUSE WERE NOT SLIPPERY AND ABLE TO PROVIDE SUITABLE BRAKING FOR AN INOP THRUST REVERSER. THE MEL ITEM STATES THAT BOTH MUST BE OPERATIVE ON SLIPPERY RWYS, AND ONE MAY BE INOP IF LOCKED IN STOWED POS. ACR FLT DEPARTED CHICAGO AND ARRIVED IN ALBANY TO OVERNIGHT. ON FEB, TUES, ACFT WAS MAINT FERRIED BACK TO CHICAGO FOR REPAIRS. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 262452: THRUST REVERSERS WERE UNABLE TO DEPLOY ABOVE IDLE THRUST. IN MY HASTE, I MISREAD THE MEL BOOK AND APPROVED THE PLACARD WITH BOTH REVERSERS INOP. I READ INTO THE MEL WHAT I WANTED IT TO SAY. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 262472: DURING PWRBACK I DISCOVERED THAT REVERSE THRUST WOULD NOT GO ABOVE IDLE PWR. MYSELF, DISPATCH AND TECHNICIANS ALL DETERMINED WE COULD OPERATE SAFELY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE ACFT MEL WITH BOTH THRUST REVERSERS PLACARDED INOP. IT WAS DISCOVERED, THROUGH CLOSER EXAMINATION OF THE MEL, THE ACFT WAS REQUIRED TO HAVE AT LEAST 1 OPERATING THRUST REVERSER. THE MEL IS WRITTEN IN SUCH A WAY THAT IT EASILY LED SEVERAL PEOPLE TO BELIEVE THE ACFT WAS LEGAL TO FLY. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 262595: BESIDES MY PERSONAL DISCOVERY OF THE MEL DEV A REWRITE OF THE ITEM IN QUESTION WOULD HELP PREVENT ANOTHER OCCURRENCE OF MISINTERP. MY COMPANY IS IN THE PROCESS OF THE REWRITE.

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.