Narrative:

During my predep review of the aircraft logbook I noticed that a cabinet door was deferred under the general procedures manual. This seemed to be an inappropriate deferral authority/authorized as there is an authority/authorized for deferral of cabinet doors in the provisional deviation list. The provisional deviation list has conditions and requests specific maintenance action for such deferral. All of the conditions and required maintenance action had not been accomplished under the general procedures manual deferral -- although the cabinet door had been taped closed. The provisional deviation list specifically prohibits deferral of doors to cabinets that contain emergency equipment. It was not evident to me until after departure that the subject cabinet contained emergency equipment. Thus, the flight departed with an inappropriate deferral of the door under the provisional deviation list. To facilitate unimpeded access to the emergency equipment I asked the flight engineer to remove the tape from the door and to remove the inoperative, broken door. Supplemental information from acn 389311: I observed the mechanic retape and placard the cabinet in the lower lobe galley. When I mentioned that a fire extinguisher and first aid kit were stowed in that cabinet, mechanic stated to me and the flight attendant that if it were necessary to use, just cut the tape. I later mentioned this to the captain during flight and it was decided that the door should be removed. I proceeded to the lower galley and removed said door and ensured that the equipment was secure. I then stowed the door in a galley bin.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR DC10 FLC DISCOVERED THAT A GALLEY DOOR PROB HAD BEEN DEFERRED UNDER THE WRONG MANUALS'S PROVISIONS. WHILE SOLVING THIS PROB A MAINT TECHNICIAN TAPED THE DOOR CLOSED WITH A FIRE EXTINGUISHER AND A FIRST AID KIT INSIDE.

Narrative: DURING MY PREDEP REVIEW OF THE ACFT LOGBOOK I NOTICED THAT A CABINET DOOR WAS DEFERRED UNDER THE GENERAL PROCS MANUAL. THIS SEEMED TO BE AN INAPPROPRIATE DEFERRAL AUTH AS THERE IS AN AUTH FOR DEFERRAL OF CABINET DOORS IN THE PROVISIONAL DEV LIST. THE PROVISIONAL DEV LIST HAS CONDITIONS AND REQUESTS SPECIFIC MAINT ACTION FOR SUCH DEFERRAL. ALL OF THE CONDITIONS AND REQUIRED MAINT ACTION HAD NOT BEEN ACCOMPLISHED UNDER THE GENERAL PROCS MANUAL DEFERRAL -- ALTHOUGH THE CABINET DOOR HAD BEEN TAPED CLOSED. THE PROVISIONAL DEV LIST SPECIFICALLY PROHIBITS DEFERRAL OF DOORS TO CABINETS THAT CONTAIN EMER EQUIP. IT WAS NOT EVIDENT TO ME UNTIL AFTER DEP THAT THE SUBJECT CABINET CONTAINED EMER EQUIP. THUS, THE FLT DEPARTED WITH AN INAPPROPRIATE DEFERRAL OF THE DOOR UNDER THE PROVISIONAL DEV LIST. TO FACILITATE UNIMPEDED ACCESS TO THE EMER EQUIP I ASKED THE FE TO REMOVE THE TAPE FROM THE DOOR AND TO REMOVE THE INOP, BROKEN DOOR. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 389311: I OBSERVED THE MECH RETAPE AND PLACARD THE CABINET IN THE LOWER LOBE GALLEY. WHEN I MENTIONED THAT A FIRE EXTINGUISHER AND FIRST AID KIT WERE STOWED IN THAT CABINET, MECH STATED TO ME AND THE FLT ATTENDANT THAT IF IT WERE NECESSARY TO USE, JUST CUT THE TAPE. I LATER MENTIONED THIS TO THE CAPT DURING FLT AND IT WAS DECIDED THAT THE DOOR SHOULD BE REMOVED. I PROCEEDED TO THE LOWER GALLEY AND REMOVED SAID DOOR AND ENSURED THAT THE EQUIP WAS SECURE. I THEN STOWED THE DOOR IN A GALLEY BIN.

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.