MEL requirement. - NASA ASRS

Attributes
ACN	297240
Time
Date	199502
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sjc
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : pit
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 12100 flight time type : 3029
ASRS Report	297240
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

The cockpit call chime/light (MEL 23-15) was written up and placarded as inoperative. I went to the cabin and activated the call chime and light determining that they, in fact, worked. The flight was dispatched. The douglas md-80 has a built-in murphy in that the chime in the cockpit will not sound unless the button in the rear is firmly held for a brief moment. This was what I determined was the problem. In fact, what was inoperative was a call button in the very rear of the airplane. I'm not making excuses, but I really felt the aircraft was airworthy. Greater care must be used by all concerned to determine the correct MEL number and proper logbook annotation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MEL REQUIREMENT.

Narrative: THE COCKPIT CALL CHIME/LIGHT (MEL 23-15) WAS WRITTEN UP AND PLACARDED AS INOP. I WENT TO THE CABIN AND ACTIVATED THE CALL CHIME AND LIGHT DETERMINING THAT THEY, IN FACT, WORKED. THE FLT WAS DISPATCHED. THE DOUGLAS MD-80 HAS A BUILT-IN MURPHY IN THAT THE CHIME IN THE COCKPIT WILL NOT SOUND UNLESS THE BUTTON IN THE REAR IS FIRMLY HELD FOR A BRIEF MOMENT. THIS WAS WHAT I DETERMINED WAS THE PROB. IN FACT, WHAT WAS INOP WAS A CALL BUTTON IN THE VERY REAR OF THE AIRPLANE. I'M NOT MAKING EXCUSES, BUT I REALLY FELT THE ACFT WAS AIRWORTHY. GREATER CARE MUST BE USED BY ALL CONCERNED TO DETERMINE THE CORRECT MEL NUMBER AND PROPER LOGBOOK ANNOTATION.

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.