A DC9-32 was dispatched without crew oxygen and deferred in conflict with an MEL requirement.

Attributes
ACN	375904
Time
Date	199705
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ztl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 30
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : preflight other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
ASRS Report	375904
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

This is in regards to an incident involving a crew oxygen bottle pressure being low. The captain of the flight requested bottle servicing. The captain and I discussed the situation and advised the dispatcher of the problem. The dispatcher and the captain agreed that the flight would proceed at 10000 ft. The dispatch release was amended to include an additional 4000 pounds of fuel to accommodate the rerouting on victor airways at 10000 ft. The captain noted the change in fuel on his copy of the release and the dispatcher issued an amended release. The flight crew received a full route reading of the clearance from ZZZ clearance delivery. The captain checked for oxygen flow in ZZZ, during flight and while taxiing into xyz. Upon arrival at the gate, xyz maintenance personnel checked the gauge pressure and advised the captain to make a logbook entry 'crew oxygen zero.' the oxygen pressure was at a level that required vendor servicing. The vendor noted that the bottle pressure was 50 psi on receipt. Subsequent investigation revealed further evidence of a leak in the crew oxygen system which was repaired. As a result of this incident, I have been advised that additional training on air carrier MEL usage will be provided to all maintenance controllers.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DC9-32 WAS DISPATCHED WITHOUT CREW OXYGEN AND DEFERRED IN CONFLICT WITH AN MEL REQUIREMENT.

Narrative: THIS IS IN REGARDS TO AN INCIDENT INVOLVING A CREW OXYGEN BOTTLE PRESSURE BEING LOW. THE CAPT OF THE FLT REQUESTED BOTTLE SVCING. THE CAPT AND I DISCUSSED THE SIT AND ADVISED THE DISPATCHER OF THE PROB. THE DISPATCHER AND THE CAPT AGREED THAT THE FLT WOULD PROCEED AT 10000 FT. THE DISPATCH RELEASE WAS AMENDED TO INCLUDE AN ADDITIONAL 4000 LBS OF FUEL TO ACCOMMODATE THE REROUTING ON VICTOR AIRWAYS AT 10000 FT. THE CAPT NOTED THE CHANGE IN FUEL ON HIS COPY OF THE RELEASE AND THE DISPATCHER ISSUED AN AMENDED RELEASE. THE FLC RECEIVED A FULL RTE READING OF THE CLRNC FROM ZZZ CLRNC DELIVERY. THE CAPT CHKED FOR OXYGEN FLOW IN ZZZ, DURING FLT AND WHILE TAXIING INTO XYZ. UPON ARR AT THE GATE, XYZ MAINT PERSONNEL CHKED THE GAUGE PRESSURE AND ADVISED THE CAPT TO MAKE A LOGBOOK ENTRY 'CREW OXYGEN ZERO.' THE OXYGEN PRESSURE WAS AT A LEVEL THAT REQUIRED VENDOR SVCING. THE VENDOR NOTED THAT THE BOTTLE PRESSURE WAS 50 PSI ON RECEIPT. SUBSEQUENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED FURTHER EVIDENCE OF A LEAK IN THE CREW OXYGEN SYS WHICH WAS REPAIRED. AS A RESULT OF THIS INCIDENT, I HAVE BEEN ADVISED THAT ADDITIONAL TRAINING ON ACR MEL USAGE WILL BE PROVIDED TO ALL MAINT CTLRS.

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.