Large transport dispatched with an incorrect MEL auxiliary fuel pumps inoperative.

Attributes
ACN	293804
Time
Date	199412
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : atl
State Reference	GA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : tyr
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	other personnel
Qualification	other other : other
ASRS Report	293804
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
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
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I dispatched a flight with an MEL item. It was a B727 aircraft with auxiliary fuel tank installed. The 'electronic MEL' stated: both auxiliary fuel boost pumps inoperative. Dispatch procedures: maybe inoperative provided aft auxiliary fuel tank empty, or any fuel in tank counted as unusable and included in ZFW. Since I did not require auxiliary fuel and tank was empty, I 'assumed' I was legal for dispatch. Wrong! Had I crosschecked the 'paper' MEL I would have found that 1 pump must work. Period. The lesson to be learned from this I think is never 'assume' anything but always double check yourself as you will be ultimately be held accountable.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LGT DISPATCHED WITH AN INCORRECT MEL AUX FUEL PUMPS INOP.

Narrative: I DISPATCHED A FLT WITH AN MEL ITEM. IT WAS A B727 ACFT WITH AUX FUEL TANK INSTALLED. THE 'ELECTRONIC MEL' STATED: BOTH AUX FUEL BOOST PUMPS INOP. DISPATCH PROCS: MAYBE INOP PROVIDED AFT AUX FUEL TANK EMPTY, OR ANY FUEL IN TANK COUNTED AS UNUSABLE AND INCLUDED IN ZFW. SINCE I DID NOT REQUIRE AUX FUEL AND TANK WAS EMPTY, I 'ASSUMED' I WAS LEGAL FOR DISPATCH. WRONG! HAD I XCHKED THE 'PAPER' MEL I WOULD HAVE FOUND THAT 1 PUMP MUST WORK. PERIOD. THE LESSON TO BE LEARNED FROM THIS I THINK IS NEVER 'ASSUME' ANYTHING BUT ALWAYS DOUBLE CHK YOURSELF AS YOU WILL BE ULTIMATELY BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE.

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.