Improper MEL release.

Attributes
ACN	294341
Time
Date	199412
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : iah
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
ASRS Report	294341
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I am an airlines maintenance control supervisor. On dec/thu/94 at XA22, cle maintenance requested to placard the aft airstair which is part of the left aft main cabin door (L-2) on a 737-100 aircraft. The MEL allows the airstair to be inoperative provided the door operates normally as an emergency exit. I asked if the emergency exit function was normal. Cle maintenance stated it was. The problem was the airstair door would not close from the exterior handle and ok with the interior handle. A placard was issued. Several days later it was found emergency exit function from exterior handle was inoperative. This problem was corrected and the placard was removed on jan/fri/95.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: IMPROPER MEL RELEASE.

Narrative: I AM AN AIRLINES MAINT CTL SUPVR. ON DEC/THU/94 AT XA22, CLE MAINT REQUESTED TO PLACARD THE AFT AIRSTAIR WHICH IS PART OF THE L AFT MAIN CABIN DOOR (L-2) ON A 737-100 ACFT. THE MEL ALLOWS THE AIRSTAIR TO BE INOP PROVIDED THE DOOR OPERATES NORMALLY AS AN EMER EXIT. I ASKED IF THE EMER EXIT FUNCTION WAS NORMAL. CLE MAINT STATED IT WAS. THE PROB WAS THE AIRSTAIR DOOR WOULD NOT CLOSE FROM THE EXTERIOR HANDLE AND OK WITH THE INTERIOR HANDLE. A PLACARD WAS ISSUED. SEVERAL DAYS LATER IT WAS FOUND EMER EXIT FUNCTION FROM EXTERIOR HANDLE WAS INOP. THIS PROB WAS CORRECTED AND THE PLACARD WAS REMOVED ON JAN/FRI/95.

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.