FK10 crew requested lower cruise altitude to comply with MEL altitude limitation.

Attributes
ACN	404590
Time
Date	199806
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lit
State Reference	AR
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : lit
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Fokker 100
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	404590
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
ASRS Report	404591
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Just after departure, I realized that we were filed for FL310 with 1 air conditioning pack placarded inoperative. Maximum altitude for 1 pack operation is FL250. I requested FL240 as a final with ZME. At no time did we climb above FL240. I should have caught the error when I reviewed the flight plan prior to departure. Due to the hotel van being 20 mins late for pick up and a late inbound aircraft, I was rushed and did not catch the error. I will be more diligent in my review of the flight plan in the future, especially when I have an MEL'ed item. When I realized the error I asked dispatch for a new release via ACARS. The difference in the fuel burn was 100 -- that's 100 pounds. I also think that the flight plan computer should be programmed so that any MEL item that restricts an aircraft's altitude will not allow dispatch to put in an altitude higher than the restr.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FK10 CREW REQUESTED LOWER CRUISE ALT TO COMPLY WITH MEL ALT LIMITATION.

Narrative: JUST AFTER DEP, I REALIZED THAT WE WERE FILED FOR FL310 WITH 1 AIR CONDITIONING PACK PLACARDED INOP. MAX ALT FOR 1 PACK OP IS FL250. I REQUESTED FL240 AS A FINAL WITH ZME. AT NO TIME DID WE CLB ABOVE FL240. I SHOULD HAVE CAUGHT THE ERROR WHEN I REVIEWED THE FLT PLAN PRIOR TO DEP. DUE TO THE HOTEL VAN BEING 20 MINS LATE FOR PICK UP AND A LATE INBOUND ACFT, I WAS RUSHED AND DID NOT CATCH THE ERROR. I WILL BE MORE DILIGENT IN MY REVIEW OF THE FLT PLAN IN THE FUTURE, ESPECIALLY WHEN I HAVE AN MEL'ED ITEM. WHEN I REALIZED THE ERROR I ASKED DISPATCH FOR A NEW RELEASE VIA ACARS. THE DIFFERENCE IN THE FUEL BURN WAS 100 -- THAT'S 100 LBS. I ALSO THINK THAT THE FLT PLAN COMPUTER SHOULD BE PROGRAMMED SO THAT ANY MEL ITEM THAT RESTRICTS AN ACFT'S ALT WILL NOT ALLOW DISPATCH TO PUT IN AN ALT HIGHER THAN THE RESTR.

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.