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A learjet 31 was operated in conflict with MEL requirements. Deferring the autoplt will render inoperative a 'no go' system.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 367245 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199704 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air taxi |
| Make Model Name | Learjet 31 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 135 |
| Flight Phase | other |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air taxi |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp pilot : cfi |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 4000 |
| ASRS Report | 367245 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air taxi |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
The previous flight had an autoplt pitch problem. That crew wrote up the problem in the aircraft log. Our mechanics deferred the problem per the aircraft MEL. Their actions included a placard stating the autoplt was inoperative and deferred, and by pulling the autoplt circuit breakers. The circuit breakers they pulled disabled the stick puller system in the aircraft. This system is required for flight. I reset the circuit breakers and elected to fly the aircraft with the autoplt switch in the off position, thus disabling the autoplt, but allowing operation of the stick puller system. I was following the intent of our approved MEL, as the aircraft is approved for dispatch with the autoplt inoperative. We will contact the FAA and the lear factory for details on the autoplt deferral method, and to clarify the manual procedures. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states the MEL conflict has been reported to learjet and the FAA. Learjet advised the reporter that the MEL will be changed to eliminate the conflict.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A LEARJET 31 WAS OPERATED IN CONFLICT WITH MEL REQUIREMENTS. DEFERRING THE AUTOPLT WILL RENDER INOP A 'NO GO' SYS.
Narrative: THE PREVIOUS FLT HAD AN AUTOPLT PITCH PROB. THAT CREW WROTE UP THE PROB IN THE ACFT LOG. OUR MECHS DEFERRED THE PROB PER THE ACFT MEL. THEIR ACTIONS INCLUDED A PLACARD STATING THE AUTOPLT WAS INOP AND DEFERRED, AND BY PULLING THE AUTOPLT CIRCUIT BREAKERS. THE CIRCUIT BREAKERS THEY PULLED DISABLED THE STICK PULLER SYS IN THE ACFT. THIS SYS IS REQUIRED FOR FLT. I RESET THE CIRCUIT BREAKERS AND ELECTED TO FLY THE ACFT WITH THE AUTOPLT SWITCH IN THE OFF POS, THUS DISABLING THE AUTOPLT, BUT ALLOWING OP OF THE STICK PULLER SYS. I WAS FOLLOWING THE INTENT OF OUR APPROVED MEL, AS THE ACFT IS APPROVED FOR DISPATCH WITH THE AUTOPLT INOP. WE WILL CONTACT THE FAA AND THE LEAR FACTORY FOR DETAILS ON THE AUTOPLT DEFERRAL METHOD, AND TO CLARIFY THE MANUAL PROCS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THE MEL CONFLICT HAS BEEN RPTED TO LEARJET AND THE FAA. LEARJET ADVISED THE RPTR THAT THE MEL WILL BE CHANGED TO ELIMINATE THE CONFLICT.
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.