Narrative:

Aircraft had 2 cdl items (confign deviation list, similar to MEL's except related to airframe items) in the logbook that had been in there for some time. The 2 items were both covers for landing gear hinges. This cdl is common and the only usual flight crew action is to apply a slight weight penalty to the maximum takeoff weight. A few mins before departure, 2 mechanics came to the cockpit and asked to see the MEL/cdl book. Left with it, came back. The captain asked if there was any problem, the mechanics said no and left. We flew the leg without incident. When the so called the destination station 20 mins out with the standard in-range call, he was advised that our aircraft would be grounded for maintenance and our next flight canceled. We reviewed the cdl. Since that was the only mechanical irregularity on the aircraft. A careful reading of the cdl revealed that, while 2 hinge covers could be missing, they had to be on the same side. These were on opposite sides. I think because we see this cdl item quite a bit, and because the simple weight reduction is the only flight crew action, that the entire text of the cdl was not read.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR LGT CREW FLEW IN VIOLATION OF THE CDL.

Narrative: ACFT HAD 2 CDL ITEMS (CONFIGN DEV LIST, SIMILAR TO MEL'S EXCEPT RELATED TO AIRFRAME ITEMS) IN THE LOGBOOK THAT HAD BEEN IN THERE FOR SOME TIME. THE 2 ITEMS WERE BOTH COVERS FOR LNDG GEAR HINGES. THIS CDL IS COMMON AND THE ONLY USUAL FLC ACTION IS TO APPLY A SLIGHT WT PENALTY TO THE MAX TKOF WT. A FEW MINS BEFORE DEP, 2 MECHS CAME TO THE COCKPIT AND ASKED TO SEE THE MEL/CDL BOOK. LEFT WITH IT, CAME BACK. THE CAPT ASKED IF THERE WAS ANY PROB, THE MECHS SAID NO AND LEFT. WE FLEW THE LEG WITHOUT INCIDENT. WHEN THE SO CALLED THE DEST STATION 20 MINS OUT WITH THE STANDARD IN-RANGE CALL, HE WAS ADVISED THAT OUR ACFT WOULD BE GNDED FOR MAINT AND OUR NEXT FLT CANCELED. WE REVIEWED THE CDL. SINCE THAT WAS THE ONLY MECHANICAL IRREGULARITY ON THE ACFT. A CAREFUL READING OF THE CDL REVEALED THAT, WHILE 2 HINGE COVERS COULD BE MISSING, THEY HAD TO BE ON THE SAME SIDE. THESE WERE ON OPPOSITE SIDES. I THINK BECAUSE WE SEE THIS CDL ITEM QUITE A BIT, AND BECAUSE THE SIMPLE WT REDUCTION IS THE ONLY FLC ACTION, THAT THE ENTIRE TEXT OF THE CDL WAS NOT READ.

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.