An aci found a problem with the PA system and the MEL.

Attributes
ACN	271323
Time
Date	199405
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord
State Reference	IL
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	other
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 8200 flight time type : 1750
ASRS Report	271323
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : investigated faa : assigned or threatened penalties
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Chart Or Publication
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Publication	Unspecified

Narrative:

Aircraft was on the ground and the flight crew was not present when the FAA did a maintenance inspection. They found that the 'a' flight attendant PA system did not work. It was deferred by maintenance and logged in the aircraft log. The MEL reads if any part of the intercom PA system is inoperative, other ways of communication must be established and the PA system must work. They have 10 days to fix the PA system and this was #5 day and 2ND crew of the day. The PA system worked because the 'captain,' 'first officer' were able to make PA's and also communications to the rear flight attendant 'B' by intercom. Also, 'B' flight attendant was able to make PA announcements. The 'a' flight attendant PA system worked, but not her hand set. There was no MEL for this, and were able to defer the item since the PA system was operational. The FAA does not agree with this, so they grounded the aircraft until fixed. The handset was written and fixed later that day. They want to fine the company and possibly the crews that flew the aircraft those 5 days. Company is going to change the MEL.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACI FOUND A PROB WITH THE PA SYS AND THE MEL.

Narrative: ACFT WAS ON THE GND AND THE FLC WAS NOT PRESENT WHEN THE FAA DID A MAINT INSPECTION. THEY FOUND THAT THE 'A' FLT ATTENDANT PA SYS DID NOT WORK. IT WAS DEFERRED BY MAINT AND LOGGED IN THE ACFT LOG. THE MEL READS IF ANY PART OF THE INTERCOM PA SYS IS INOP, OTHER WAYS OF COM MUST BE ESTABLISHED AND THE PA SYS MUST WORK. THEY HAVE 10 DAYS TO FIX THE PA SYS AND THIS WAS #5 DAY AND 2ND CREW OF THE DAY. THE PA SYS WORKED BECAUSE THE 'CAPT,' 'FO' WERE ABLE TO MAKE PA'S AND ALSO COMS TO THE REAR FLT ATTENDANT 'B' BY INTERCOM. ALSO, 'B' FLT ATTENDANT WAS ABLE TO MAKE PA ANNOUNCEMENTS. THE 'A' FLT ATTENDANT PA SYS WORKED, BUT NOT HER HAND SET. THERE WAS NO MEL FOR THIS, AND WERE ABLE TO DEFER THE ITEM SINCE THE PA SYS WAS OPERATIONAL. THE FAA DOES NOT AGREE WITH THIS, SO THEY GNDED THE ACFT UNTIL FIXED. THE HANDSET WAS WRITTEN AND FIXED LATER THAT DAY. THEY WANT TO FINE THE COMPANY AND POSSIBLY THE CREWS THAT FLEW THE ACFT THOSE 5 DAYS. COMPANY IS GOING TO CHANGE THE MEL.

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.