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The dispatcher discovers the MEL for windshear inoperative is written incorrectly. It refers to procedures that are not in writing and are supposed to be.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 329275 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199602 |
| Day | Fri |
| 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 | Mixed |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | DC-9 30 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | ground : preflight |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | other personnel |
| Qualification | other |
| ASRS Report | 329275 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far |
| Independent Detector | other other : unspecified |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : unable |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
Flight X atl-mco had MEL item #xy-yy (windshear) system inoperative. The MEL states that if windshear is inoperative crew should implement alternate procedures. What these procedures are, are not stated anywhere. About 1 hour prior to departure, an FAA maintenance inspector asked me to make reference to the master MEL regarding this inoperative system. The master MEL says crews should refer to the crew operations manual and review windshear detection and avoidance techniques. I assumed this manual was carried in the cockpit, so I made reference to this manual on my release. Problem was, this manual does not even exist so it looks like MEL is written incorrectly. If I had not said anything regarding this MEL (as I usually do) I would not have misled my crew into thinking that this manual existed. Corrective action is that the MEL needs clarification.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: THE DISPATCHER DISCOVERS THE MEL FOR WINDSHEAR INOP IS WRITTEN INCORRECTLY. IT REFERS TO PROCS THAT ARE NOT IN WRITING AND ARE SUPPOSED TO BE.
Narrative: FLT X ATL-MCO HAD MEL ITEM #XY-YY (WINDSHEAR) SYS INOP. THE MEL STATES THAT IF WINDSHEAR IS INOP CREW SHOULD IMPLEMENT ALTERNATE PROCS. WHAT THESE PROCS ARE, ARE NOT STATED ANYWHERE. ABOUT 1 HR PRIOR TO DEP, AN FAA MAINT INSPECTOR ASKED ME TO MAKE REF TO THE MASTER MEL REGARDING THIS INOP SYS. THE MASTER MEL SAYS CREWS SHOULD REFER TO THE CREW OPS MANUAL AND REVIEW WINDSHEAR DETECTION AND AVOIDANCE TECHNIQUES. I ASSUMED THIS MANUAL WAS CARRIED IN THE COCKPIT, SO I MADE REF TO THIS MANUAL ON MY RELEASE. PROB WAS, THIS MANUAL DOES NOT EVEN EXIST SO IT LOOKS LIKE MEL IS WRITTEN INCORRECTLY. IF I HAD NOT SAID ANYTHING REGARDING THIS MEL (AS I USUALLY DO) I WOULD NOT HAVE MISLED MY CREW INTO THINKING THAT THIS MANUAL EXISTED. CORRECTIVE ACTION IS THAT THE MEL NEEDS CLARIFICATION.
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.