Deviation from MEL requirements.

Attributes
ACN	266539
Time
Date	199403
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : psp
State Reference	CA
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	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff ground : preflight ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 12500 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	266539
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 4500 flight time type : 2400
ASRS Report	266368
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

During flight on the leg from dfw to psp we had a C50 low oil pressure light on the #2 engine. All other CSD indications were normal (i.e., volts, frequencys, CSD temperature). As a precaution, with concurrence of atl maintenance coordinator, we disconnected the CSD. On the ground in psp contract maintenance was not available. The maintenance coordination in atl was consulted and recommended a flight crew mco placard even though the MEL indicated maintenance action was required. I questioned this advice and he assured me as he read from the maintenance manual that the only maintenance action was to check operation of the APU under large pneumatic loads (done from the cockpit) and install a mco placard on electrical panel near CSD disc switch. In the definition of 'M' items in the MEL it is explained that personnel other than a licensed mechanic can perform some items as long as no specialized skill or tools are needed and all items can be performed from the cockpit. Myself and the first officer performed the APU operations check and installed the placard as per atl maintenance coordinator and departed psp with no problems en route.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DEV FROM MEL REQUIREMENTS.

Narrative: DURING FLT ON THE LEG FROM DFW TO PSP WE HAD A C50 LOW OIL PRESSURE LIGHT ON THE #2 ENG. ALL OTHER CSD INDICATIONS WERE NORMAL (I.E., VOLTS, FREQS, CSD TEMP). AS A PRECAUTION, WITH CONCURRENCE OF ATL MAINT COORDINATOR, WE DISCONNECTED THE CSD. ON THE GND IN PSP CONTRACT MAINT WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE MAINT COORD IN ATL WAS CONSULTED AND RECOMMENDED A FLC MCO PLACARD EVEN THOUGH THE MEL INDICATED MAINT ACTION WAS REQUIRED. I QUESTIONED THIS ADVICE AND HE ASSURED ME AS HE READ FROM THE MAINT MANUAL THAT THE ONLY MAINT ACTION WAS TO CHK OP OF THE APU UNDER LARGE PNEUMATIC LOADS (DONE FROM THE COCKPIT) AND INSTALL A MCO PLACARD ON ELECTRICAL PANEL NEAR CSD DISC SWITCH. IN THE DEFINITION OF 'M' ITEMS IN THE MEL IT IS EXPLAINED THAT PERSONNEL OTHER THAN A LICENSED MECH CAN PERFORM SOME ITEMS AS LONG AS NO SPECIALIZED SKILL OR TOOLS ARE NEEDED AND ALL ITEMS CAN BE PERFORMED FROM THE COCKPIT. MYSELF AND THE FO PERFORMED THE APU OPS CHK AND INSTALLED THE PLACARD AS PER ATL MAINT COORDINATOR AND DEPARTED PSP WITH NO PROBS ENRTE.

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.