A BE1900 on descent had the right fuel quantity indicator fail and was deferred per the MEL prior to...

Attributes
ACN	383110
Time
Date	199710
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : vrb
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mia
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Beech 1900
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Route In Use	arrival other arrival star : star
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 270 flight time total : 4800 flight time type : 270
ASRS Report	383110
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time other
Consequence	faa : investigated Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Aircraft type: BE02/B1900 turboprop fluctuating right fuel quantity gauge. Notified maintenance control and was given the wrong MEL number xy-Z (static wick) versus xx-Z fuel quantity indicator. Human factors: should have made an entry into the aircraft logbook and let maintenance clear and release the aircraft in accordance with MEL xx-Z, instead of doing it myself. I didn't have time to verify the MEL number given due to entering a critical phase of flight (below 10000 ft and talking to miami approach control). Being ramp checked upon arrival at miami international airport, I saw the FAA inspector or one who appeared to be one, looking at another aircraft. I told the first officer to monitor the refueling while I went into flight operations to talk with maintenance control about the write-up and to get WX and dispatch release for our next flight. When I returned about 10 mins later, I was informed by the first officer and the mechanic that an FAA inspector had discovered that the aircraft was released under the wrong MEL number and the right fuel quantity gauge didn't have an 'inoperative' sticker on it. The aircraft wasn't being turned over to another crew. There were only 2 aircraft on the ramp at that time. If the FAA inspector felt so strongly about the issue, why didn't he wait for my return? I feel that maintenance problems occurring in-flight should not penalize the flight crew without having the proper time to correct the situation through repair or aircraft maintenance deferment in accordance with the company's MEL.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A BE1900 ON DSCNT HAD THE R FUEL QUANTITY INDICATOR FAIL AND WAS DEFERRED PER THE MEL PRIOR TO LNDG BUT FAA GND CHK FOUND THE FUEL QUANTITY INDICATOR NOT PLACARDED PER THE MEL.

Narrative: ACFT TYPE: BE02/B1900 TURBOPROP FLUCTUATING R FUEL QUANTITY GAUGE. NOTIFIED MAINT CTL AND WAS GIVEN THE WRONG MEL NUMBER XY-Z (STATIC WICK) VERSUS XX-Z FUEL QUANTITY INDICATOR. HUMAN FACTORS: SHOULD HAVE MADE AN ENTRY INTO THE ACFT LOGBOOK AND LET MAINT CLR AND RELEASE THE ACFT IN ACCORDANCE WITH MEL XX-Z, INSTEAD OF DOING IT MYSELF. I DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO VERIFY THE MEL NUMBER GIVEN DUE TO ENTERING A CRITICAL PHASE OF FLT (BELOW 10000 FT AND TALKING TO MIAMI APCH CTL). BEING RAMP CHKED UPON ARR AT MIAMI INTL ARPT, I SAW THE FAA INSPECTOR OR ONE WHO APPEARED TO BE ONE, LOOKING AT ANOTHER ACFT. I TOLD THE FO TO MONITOR THE REFUELING WHILE I WENT INTO FLT OPS TO TALK WITH MAINT CTL ABOUT THE WRITE-UP AND TO GET WX AND DISPATCH RELEASE FOR OUR NEXT FLT. WHEN I RETURNED ABOUT 10 MINS LATER, I WAS INFORMED BY THE FO AND THE MECH THAT AN FAA INSPECTOR HAD DISCOVERED THAT THE ACFT WAS RELEASED UNDER THE WRONG MEL NUMBER AND THE R FUEL QUANTITY GAUGE DIDN'T HAVE AN 'INOP' STICKER ON IT. THE ACFT WASN'T BEING TURNED OVER TO ANOTHER CREW. THERE WERE ONLY 2 ACFT ON THE RAMP AT THAT TIME. IF THE FAA INSPECTOR FELT SO STRONGLY ABOUT THE ISSUE, WHY DIDN'T HE WAIT FOR MY RETURN? I FEEL THAT MAINT PROBS OCCURRING INFLT SHOULD NOT PENALIZE THE FLC WITHOUT HAVING THE PROPER TIME TO CORRECT THE SIT THROUGH REPAIR OR ACFT MAINT DEFERMENT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE COMPANY'S MEL.

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.

A BE1900 on descent had the right fuel quantity indicator fail and was deferred per the MEL prior to landing but FAA ground check found the fuel quantity indicator not placarded per the MEL.