Large transport has 2 MEL items not legal to have inoperative together.

Attributes
ACN	291845
Time
Date	199412
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : msp
State Reference	MN
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 8500 flight time type : 5500
ASRS Report	291845
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : second officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 9500 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	291844
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

On dec/ab/94 arrived at aircraft and #1 fuel quantity indicator inoperative and was on MEL. During refueling maintenance found the fuel tank left aft boost pump inoperative, when fuel quantity dropped below 4400 pounds. Maintenance placarded the boost pump, conferred with dispatch, additional fuel was added as well as an additional MEL. 3 legs were flown, alternate fueling procedures were followed with tanks emptied, filled with known quantity, and dip-sticked before each departure. On the morning of dec/AC/94, we were told by dispatch that with the fuel quantity indicator inoperative all boost pumps must be working. The inoperative boost pump was in fact found to be working and maintenance removed the MEL from the aircraft. With multiple MEL's on the same system, small type statement was missed that said with fuel quantity inoperative -- all boost pumps must be working. Unfortunately there was not a statement by the boost pump inoperative MEL stating all fuel quantity indicators must be working. Each MEL needs to maintain enough information so that all necessary decisions can be made on the specific page. With multiple problems on same system, large print would help, instead of fine print note.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LGT HAS 2 MEL ITEMS NOT LEGAL TO HAVE INOP TOGETHER.

Narrative: ON DEC/AB/94 ARRIVED AT ACFT AND #1 FUEL QUANTITY INDICATOR INOP AND WAS ON MEL. DURING REFUELING MAINT FOUND THE FUEL TANK L AFT BOOST PUMP INOP, WHEN FUEL QUANTITY DROPPED BELOW 4400 LBS. MAINT PLACARDED THE BOOST PUMP, CONFERRED WITH DISPATCH, ADDITIONAL FUEL WAS ADDED AS WELL AS AN ADDITIONAL MEL. 3 LEGS WERE FLOWN, ALTERNATE FUELING PROCS WERE FOLLOWED WITH TANKS EMPTIED, FILLED WITH KNOWN QUANTITY, AND DIP-STICKED BEFORE EACH DEP. ON THE MORNING OF DEC/AC/94, WE WERE TOLD BY DISPATCH THAT WITH THE FUEL QUANTITY INDICATOR INOP ALL BOOST PUMPS MUST BE WORKING. THE INOP BOOST PUMP WAS IN FACT FOUND TO BE WORKING AND MAINT REMOVED THE MEL FROM THE ACFT. WITH MULTIPLE MEL'S ON THE SAME SYS, SMALL TYPE STATEMENT WAS MISSED THAT SAID WITH FUEL QUANTITY INOP -- ALL BOOST PUMPS MUST BE WORKING. UNFORTUNATELY THERE WAS NOT A STATEMENT BY THE BOOST PUMP INOP MEL STATING ALL FUEL QUANTITY INDICATORS MUST BE WORKING. EACH MEL NEEDS TO MAINTAIN ENOUGH INFO SO THAT ALL NECESSARY DECISIONS CAN BE MADE ON THE SPECIFIC PAGE. WITH MULTIPLE PROBS ON SAME SYS, LARGE PRINT WOULD HELP, INSTEAD OF FINE PRINT NOTE.

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.