Narrative:

During preflight of flight on jun/xx/94, I discovered that the fire test for the APU would not test. I promptly reported this to the captain. The captain in turn called chicago dispatch sector, who also patched in line maintenance for b- 737's. The captain was told it was 'okay to defer' the APU inoperative as per MEL 26A. The MEL is not carried onboard the aircraft. The captain was told to pull the APU fire detection circuit breaker on the P6-2 panel and place an orange deferral sticker next to the APU control switch. This we did. The captain was told to write the MEL reference number in the logbook along with the writeup. This we did. After conversation with sfolm the captain spoke with dispatch about an amended release. He said the only thing that needed to be done was to get the placard number from sfolm, which he would do. No mention was made about amending our release. We followed all instructions we were given by sfolm and dispatch. Upon arrival at the gate in ord, we were met by FAA the inspector who asked for further details on the deferral. We were told that MEL 26A was not complied with correctly. He said the lights in the APU fire handle should have been removed and the above mentioned circuit breaker should have been collared and the placard number should have been written on the deferral sticker next to the APU switch. We checked our flight operations manual and found no reference to the circuit breaker collaring or placard number on the deferral sticker. The FAA inspector suggested that airlines should have a better training program to educate pilots on MEL procedures and deferrals. The FAA inspector stated the aircraft was operated in an unairworthy condition. As a crew we did not operate in an unsafe, willful, unprofessional manner. We thought we were complying with all required areas.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF AN ACR MLG OPERATED THE ACFT IN AN UNAIRWORTHY CONDITION DUE TO NOT COMPLYING WITH ALL MEL DEFERRED ITEM PROVISIONS.

Narrative: DURING PREFLT OF FLT ON JUN/XX/94, I DISCOVERED THAT THE FIRE TEST FOR THE APU WOULD NOT TEST. I PROMPTLY RPTED THIS TO THE CAPT. THE CAPT IN TURN CALLED CHICAGO DISPATCH SECTOR, WHO ALSO PATCHED IN LINE MAINT FOR B- 737'S. THE CAPT WAS TOLD IT WAS 'OKAY TO DEFER' THE APU INOP AS PER MEL 26A. THE MEL IS NOT CARRIED ONBOARD THE ACFT. THE CAPT WAS TOLD TO PULL THE APU FIRE DETECTION CIRCUIT BREAKER ON THE P6-2 PANEL AND PLACE AN ORANGE DEFERRAL STICKER NEXT TO THE APU CTL SWITCH. THIS WE DID. THE CAPT WAS TOLD TO WRITE THE MEL REF NUMBER IN THE LOGBOOK ALONG WITH THE WRITEUP. THIS WE DID. AFTER CONVERSATION WITH SFOLM THE CAPT SPOKE WITH DISPATCH ABOUT AN AMENDED RELEASE. HE SAID THE ONLY THING THAT NEEDED TO BE DONE WAS TO GET THE PLACARD NUMBER FROM SFOLM, WHICH HE WOULD DO. NO MENTION WAS MADE ABOUT AMENDING OUR RELEASE. WE FOLLOWED ALL INSTRUCTIONS WE WERE GIVEN BY SFOLM AND DISPATCH. UPON ARR AT THE GATE IN ORD, WE WERE MET BY FAA THE INSPECTOR WHO ASKED FOR FURTHER DETAILS ON THE DEFERRAL. WE WERE TOLD THAT MEL 26A WAS NOT COMPLIED WITH CORRECTLY. HE SAID THE LIGHTS IN THE APU FIRE HANDLE SHOULD HAVE BEEN REMOVED AND THE ABOVE MENTIONED CIRCUIT BREAKER SHOULD HAVE BEEN COLLARED AND THE PLACARD NUMBER SHOULD HAVE BEEN WRITTEN ON THE DEFERRAL STICKER NEXT TO THE APU SWITCH. WE CHKED OUR FLT OPS MANUAL AND FOUND NO REF TO THE CIRCUIT BREAKER COLLARING OR PLACARD NUMBER ON THE DEFERRAL STICKER. THE FAA INSPECTOR SUGGESTED THAT AIRLINES SHOULD HAVE A BETTER TRAINING PROGRAM TO EDUCATE PLTS ON MEL PROCS AND DEFERRALS. THE FAA INSPECTOR STATED THE ACFT WAS OPERATED IN AN UNAIRWORTHY CONDITION. AS A CREW WE DID NOT OPERATE IN AN UNSAFE, WILLFUL, UNPROFESSIONAL MANNER. WE THOUGHT WE WERE COMPLYING WITH ALL REQUIRED AREAS.

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.