B757 air carrier dispatcher pointed out an inconsistency in MEL instructions on how he should handle...

Attributes
ACN	411202
Time
Date	199808
Day	Fri
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord
State Reference	IL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	ground : preflight other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel
Qualification	other
ASRS Report	411202
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

B757 technical service and ord maintenance called for placard on aircraft for 1 pump inoperative. Center tank MEL item xx-XXX. Requirements of MEL specify, among other things, fuel quantity in left and right main tanks sufficient to reach a suitable airport if remaining center tank pump should fail, and maximum zero fuel weight reduced by amount of fuel in center tank. Xfeed valve open prior to takeoff and remains open till center tank is empty. Dispatcher remarks are in conflict with this by, 'ensure release fuel in main tanks sufficient to reach a suitable airport. Advise load agent that maximum zero fuel weight must not exceed' are in conflict with each other. The basic MEL item allows center tank fueling and usage referring to mains containing sufficient to reach suitable airport should tank pump fail, while dispatcher responsibilities say no fuel in center tank, with same provision 'fuel in main tanks is sufficient to reach suitable airport.' flight xyz was dispatched under MEL placard xx-XXX with aircraft and crew able to fulfill all requirements of the MEL specified, and dispatcher responsibilities box considered incorrectly pointing out the requirements of the MEL as quoted and in conflict with itself. Recommend that box be corrected to emphasize what the MEL basic xx-XXX item requires.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757 ACR DISPATCHER POINTED OUT AN INCONSISTENCY IN MEL INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW HE SHOULD HANDLE AN INOP CTR TANK BOOST PUMP.

Narrative: B757 TECHNICAL SVC AND ORD MAINT CALLED FOR PLACARD ON ACFT FOR 1 PUMP INOP. CTR TANK MEL ITEM XX-XXX. REQUIREMENTS OF MEL SPECIFY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, FUEL QUANTITY IN L AND R MAIN TANKS SUFFICIENT TO REACH A SUITABLE ARPT IF REMAINING CTR TANK PUMP SHOULD FAIL, AND MAX ZERO FUEL WT REDUCED BY AMOUNT OF FUEL IN CTR TANK. XFEED VALVE OPEN PRIOR TO TKOF AND REMAINS OPEN TILL CTR TANK IS EMPTY. DISPATCHER REMARKS ARE IN CONFLICT WITH THIS BY, 'ENSURE RELEASE FUEL IN MAIN TANKS SUFFICIENT TO REACH A SUITABLE ARPT. ADVISE LOAD AGENT THAT MAX ZERO FUEL WT MUST NOT EXCEED' ARE IN CONFLICT WITH EACH OTHER. THE BASIC MEL ITEM ALLOWS CTR TANK FUELING AND USAGE REFERRING TO MAINS CONTAINING SUFFICIENT TO REACH SUITABLE ARPT SHOULD TANK PUMP FAIL, WHILE DISPATCHER RESPONSIBILITIES SAY NO FUEL IN CTR TANK, WITH SAME PROVISION 'FUEL IN MAIN TANKS IS SUFFICIENT TO REACH SUITABLE ARPT.' FLT XYZ WAS DISPATCHED UNDER MEL PLACARD XX-XXX WITH ACFT AND CREW ABLE TO FULFILL ALL REQUIREMENTS OF THE MEL SPECIFIED, AND DISPATCHER RESPONSIBILITIES BOX CONSIDERED INCORRECTLY POINTING OUT THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE MEL AS QUOTED AND IN CONFLICT WITH ITSELF. RECOMMEND THAT BOX BE CORRECTED TO EMPHASIZE WHAT THE MEL BASIC XX-XXX ITEM REQUIRES.

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.

B757 air carrier dispatcher pointed out an inconsistency in MEL instructions on how he should handle an inoperative center tank boost pump.