MEL procedures not complied with.

Attributes
ACN	302627
Time
Date	199504
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : air
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 37000 msl bound upper : 37000
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise other ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 9500 flight time type : 180
ASRS Report	302627
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Chart Or Publication
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Publication	Unspecified

Narrative:

An MEL item was added to the flight release. The logbook was signed off by maintenance and a placard installed. Our company procedure for inoperative component was followed at the gate. Our MEL crew procedure section refers us to the supplemental section of our cockpit operating manual. This section has us verify some of the maintenance actions, but not all of them. The dispatch deviation guide contains the remainder of the items that is to be performed by mechanics. Once airborne, it was discovered that all the maintenance procedures were not followed. Maintenance department was notified and instructed crew to complete the procedures. From a human factors standpoint, the checks and balances did not occur perhaps due to too many references need to be checked to ensure MEL compliance. All references do not refer to each other once a different manual is referred to as the crews prepare for departure. One factor which contributes to human performance is short turnaround times for flcs and maintenance personnel.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MEL PROCS NOT COMPLIED WITH.

Narrative: AN MEL ITEM WAS ADDED TO THE FLT RELEASE. THE LOGBOOK WAS SIGNED OFF BY MAINT AND A PLACARD INSTALLED. OUR COMPANY PROC FOR INOP COMPONENT WAS FOLLOWED AT THE GATE. OUR MEL CREW PROC SECTION REFERS US TO THE SUPPLEMENTAL SECTION OF OUR COCKPIT OPERATING MANUAL. THIS SECTION HAS US VERIFY SOME OF THE MAINT ACTIONS, BUT NOT ALL OF THEM. THE DISPATCH DEV GUIDE CONTAINS THE REMAINDER OF THE ITEMS THAT IS TO BE PERFORMED BY MECHS. ONCE AIRBORNE, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT ALL THE MAINT PROCS WERE NOT FOLLOWED. MAINT DEPT WAS NOTIFIED AND INSTRUCTED CREW TO COMPLETE THE PROCS. FROM A HUMAN FACTORS STANDPOINT, THE CHKS AND BALS DID NOT OCCUR PERHAPS DUE TO TOO MANY REFS NEED TO BE CHKED TO ENSURE MEL COMPLIANCE. ALL REFS DO NOT REFER TO EACH OTHER ONCE A DIFFERENT MANUAL IS REFERRED TO AS THE CREWS PREPARE FOR DEP. ONE FACTOR WHICH CONTRIBUTES TO HUMAN PERFORMANCE IS SHORT TURNAROUND TIMES FOR FLCS AND MAINT PERSONNEL.

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.