Narrative:

While preparing to leave ZZZ airport to take abc B727 to dfw for the only leg of the day, we noticed that MEL xx-yy was yellow placarded after the last flight into mia on jan/tues/99. The MEL states repair is to be made within 3 flight days. MEL general section defines a flight day as a 24 hour period 'midnight to midnight local time,' during which the affected airplane is 'initiated' on at least 1 flight. Not counting the day the item was placarded, jan/tues/99. According to our calculations, the 3-DAY clock should begin at 0001 local on jan/wed/99. First day: 0001 to 2400 local on jan/wed/99. Second day: 0001 to 2400 local on jan/thur/99. Third day: 0001 to 2400 local on jan/fri/99. Accordingly, we believe the 3-DAY period ended at 2400 local on jan/fri/99. ZZZ technician informed us that the clock starts on jan/wed/99 (the day the affected flight was initiated). However, their computation must have begun on 2400 local on jan/wed/99 in order for the aircraft to be legal until 2400 on jan/thur/99 -- the night we arrived at dfw. We are concerned that this airplane went dead at 2400 on jan/fri/99 before flying several legs on jan/mon/99 including our bwi-dfw leg. ZZZ technician specialist and ZZZ mod assured us that the airplane was legal until 2400 on jan/tues/99, so based upon this we took the flight. Were we legal to do so? If so, then the language in our MEL or ZZZ's should be more specific so as to avoid such confusion in the future.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B727-200 WAS DISPATCHED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH A #3 FUEL QUANTITY INDICATOR SYS INOP AND DEFERRED FOR 3 DAYS WHICH WAS EXCEEDED BY 1 DAY.

Narrative: WHILE PREPARING TO LEAVE ZZZ ARPT TO TAKE ABC B727 TO DFW FOR THE ONLY LEG OF THE DAY, WE NOTICED THAT MEL XX-YY WAS YELLOW PLACARDED AFTER THE LAST FLT INTO MIA ON JAN/TUES/99. THE MEL STATES REPAIR IS TO BE MADE WITHIN 3 FLT DAYS. MEL GENERAL SECTION DEFINES A FLT DAY AS A 24 HR PERIOD 'MIDNIGHT TO MIDNIGHT LCL TIME,' DURING WHICH THE AFFECTED AIRPLANE IS 'INITIATED' ON AT LEAST 1 FLT. NOT COUNTING THE DAY THE ITEM WAS PLACARDED, JAN/TUES/99. ACCORDING TO OUR CALCULATIONS, THE 3-DAY CLOCK SHOULD BEGIN AT 0001 LCL ON JAN/WED/99. FIRST DAY: 0001 TO 2400 LCL ON JAN/WED/99. SECOND DAY: 0001 TO 2400 LCL ON JAN/THUR/99. THIRD DAY: 0001 TO 2400 LCL ON JAN/FRI/99. ACCORDINGLY, WE BELIEVE THE 3-DAY PERIOD ENDED AT 2400 LCL ON JAN/FRI/99. ZZZ TECHNICIAN INFORMED US THAT THE CLOCK STARTS ON JAN/WED/99 (THE DAY THE AFFECTED FLT WAS INITIATED). HOWEVER, THEIR COMPUTATION MUST HAVE BEGUN ON 2400 LCL ON JAN/WED/99 IN ORDER FOR THE ACFT TO BE LEGAL UNTIL 2400 ON JAN/THUR/99 -- THE NIGHT WE ARRIVED AT DFW. WE ARE CONCERNED THAT THIS AIRPLANE WENT DEAD AT 2400 ON JAN/FRI/99 BEFORE FLYING SEVERAL LEGS ON JAN/MON/99 INCLUDING OUR BWI-DFW LEG. ZZZ TECHNICIAN SPECIALIST AND ZZZ MOD ASSURED US THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS LEGAL UNTIL 2400 ON JAN/TUES/99, SO BASED UPON THIS WE TOOK THE FLT. WERE WE LEGAL TO DO SO? IF SO, THEN THE LANGUAGE IN OUR MEL OR ZZZ'S SHOULD BE MORE SPECIFIC SO AS TO AVOID SUCH CONFUSION IN THE FUTURE.

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.