Narrative:

In cruise flight from hnl to lanai, I noticed the right fuel temperature gauge indicated 65 degrees C. The maximum allowable temperature is 57 degrees C. Landed at lanai, called dispatch and advised them of the problem. 10 mins later a company mechanic called and told me that the fuel temperature gauge was on the MEL. He gave me the MEL number and his a&P number and name. I wrote up the discrepancy in the logbook and entered MEL numbers and mechanics a&P number in the remarks section. At this point we returned to hnl. At hnl, another mechanic made the appropriate entry into the maintenance logbook and signed it off. Later the same day, with another crew flying the airplane, the mechanic realized the MEL item was for the fuel tank temperature and not for the engine fuel temperature. The mechanic then replaced the fuel temperature sensor and signed off the MEL writeup. There were 3 flts made with a non MEL item inoperative. The cause of this problem was: 1) the mechanics not thoroughly understanding the MEL for the DHC8. 2) the flight crew should double-check what the mechanic says.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FUEL TEMP INDICATION TOO HOT. RPTR CAPT CONTACTED COMPANY MECH AND A MISCOM OCCURRED REGARDING WHAT FUEL TEMP. MECH THOUGHT IT WAS DEFERRABLE BECAUSE HE THOUGHT THE TEMP WAS A FUEL TANK TEMP, BUT IT WAS AN ENG FUEL TEMP WHICH CANNOT BE DEFERRED. MISTAKE WAS REALIZED AFTER ACFT HAD FLOWN 3 LEGS AND A FUEL TEMP SENSOR WAS REPLACED.

Narrative: IN CRUISE FLT FROM HNL TO LANAI, I NOTICED THE R FUEL TEMP GAUGE INDICATED 65 DEGS C. THE MAX ALLOWABLE TEMP IS 57 DEGS C. LANDED AT LANAI, CALLED DISPATCH AND ADVISED THEM OF THE PROB. 10 MINS LATER A COMPANY MECH CALLED AND TOLD ME THAT THE FUEL TEMP GAUGE WAS ON THE MEL. HE GAVE ME THE MEL NUMBER AND HIS A&P NUMBER AND NAME. I WROTE UP THE DISCREPANCY IN THE LOGBOOK AND ENTERED MEL NUMBERS AND MECHS A&P NUMBER IN THE REMARKS SECTION. AT THIS POINT WE RETURNED TO HNL. AT HNL, ANOTHER MECH MADE THE APPROPRIATE ENTRY INTO THE MAINT LOGBOOK AND SIGNED IT OFF. LATER THE SAME DAY, WITH ANOTHER CREW FLYING THE AIRPLANE, THE MECH REALIZED THE MEL ITEM WAS FOR THE FUEL TANK TEMP AND NOT FOR THE ENG FUEL TEMP. THE MECH THEN REPLACED THE FUEL TEMP SENSOR AND SIGNED OFF THE MEL WRITEUP. THERE WERE 3 FLTS MADE WITH A NON MEL ITEM INOP. THE CAUSE OF THIS PROB WAS: 1) THE MECHS NOT THOROUGHLY UNDERSTANDING THE MEL FOR THE DHC8. 2) THE FLC SHOULD DOUBLE-CHK WHAT THE MECH SAYS.

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.