Air carrier flight crew questioned operation in the absence of an MEL exception.

Attributes
ACN	315939
Time
Date	199509
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 20000 flight time type : 12000
ASRS Report	315939
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 250
ASRS Report	316036
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Difference of interpretation of MEL ab-X (passenger seats). Maintenance, dispatch, and chief pilot interpret the MEL as to the removal of passenger seat back. The flight was an originator at an out station. I do not interpret the MEL as meaning a passenger seat back may be removed. MEL should clearly state if this is in fact, what it means! Supplemental information from acn 316036: a passenger seat back removed by maintenance was not covered in the MEL as a specific item. Many items concerning seats and seat backs were covered, however not seat back removal. The captain called dispatch and maintenance who stated it was covered, but couldn't quite explain how. The captain then talked with the chief pilot on duty (because we were still uneasy about the situation). He stated that we were reading too much into the situation and that the item was covered.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR FLC QUESTIONED OP IN THE ABSENCE OF AN MEL EXCEPTION.

Narrative: DIFFERENCE OF INTERP OF MEL AB-X (PAX SEATS). MAINT, DISPATCH, AND CHIEF PLT INTERPRET THE MEL AS TO THE REMOVAL OF PAX SEAT BACK. THE FLT WAS AN ORIGINATOR AT AN OUT STATION. I DO NOT INTERPRET THE MEL AS MEANING A PAX SEAT BACK MAY BE REMOVED. MEL SHOULD CLRLY STATE IF THIS IS IN FACT, WHAT IT MEANS! SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 316036: A PAX SEAT BACK REMOVED BY MAINT WAS NOT COVERED IN THE MEL AS A SPECIFIC ITEM. MANY ITEMS CONCERNING SEATS AND SEAT BACKS WERE COVERED, HOWEVER NOT SEAT BACK REMOVAL. THE CAPT CALLED DISPATCH AND MAINT WHO STATED IT WAS COVERED, BUT COULDN'T QUITE EXPLAIN HOW. THE CAPT THEN TALKED WITH THE CHIEF PLT ON DUTY (BECAUSE WE WERE STILL UNEASY ABOUT THE SIT). HE STATED THAT WE WERE READING TOO MUCH INTO THE SIT AND THAT THE ITEM WAS COVERED.

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.