DC9 crew departed with improperly logged MEL item.

Attributes
ACN	443128
Time
Date	199907
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : msp.airport
State Reference	MN
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mke.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 50
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : parked ground : pushback
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel
Qualification	other
ASRS Report	443128
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : far non adherence : company policies non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other other : 1
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : schedule pressure performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements performance deficiency : repair performance deficiency : testing performance deficiency : logbook entry performance deficiency : inspection performance deficiency : fault isolation
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company Aircraft Maintenance Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

Aircraft assigned to flight had inoperative flight data recorder. Per MEL procedures, it was assigned to be fixed prior to my departure, thus I released flight without MEL. 10 mins prior to departure, I queried pilots who indicated it was not fixed. I contacted maintenance control who stated flight would be held and unit fixed. I informed pilots to ensure it was fixed, or, if deferred again per MEL procedures, contact me so MEL could be added to release. Anticipating a 45 plus mins delay, I queried pilots when I saw flight airborne in 15 mins. They stated maintenance changed a part which did not fix problem so unit stayed on MEL. I issued a release amendment to add the MEL. I believe 2 violations occurred: 1) maintenance did not follow MEL procedures by re-designating the repair station before departure (an option under the MEL procedures). The captain was aware this needed to be done but still departed without it. 2) captain allowed flight to depart without MEL being added to the release per procedures. I explicitly instructed him to do so before he departed so as to ensure MEL was completed correctly. In the future, I will inhibit the release so flight cannot depart until I'm satisfied procedures are completed correctly.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DC9 CREW DEPARTED WITH IMPROPERLY LOGGED MEL ITEM.

Narrative: ACFT ASSIGNED TO FLT HAD INOP FLT DATA RECORDER. PER MEL PROCS, IT WAS ASSIGNED TO BE FIXED PRIOR TO MY DEP, THUS I RELEASED FLT WITHOUT MEL. 10 MINS PRIOR TO DEP, I QUERIED PLTS WHO INDICATED IT WAS NOT FIXED. I CONTACTED MAINT CTL WHO STATED FLT WOULD BE HELD AND UNIT FIXED. I INFORMED PLTS TO ENSURE IT WAS FIXED, OR, IF DEFERRED AGAIN PER MEL PROCS, CONTACT ME SO MEL COULD BE ADDED TO RELEASE. ANTICIPATING A 45 PLUS MINS DELAY, I QUERIED PLTS WHEN I SAW FLT AIRBORNE IN 15 MINS. THEY STATED MAINT CHANGED A PART WHICH DID NOT FIX PROB SO UNIT STAYED ON MEL. I ISSUED A RELEASE AMENDMENT TO ADD THE MEL. I BELIEVE 2 VIOLATIONS OCCURRED: 1) MAINT DID NOT FOLLOW MEL PROCS BY RE-DESIGNATING THE REPAIR STATION BEFORE DEP (AN OPTION UNDER THE MEL PROCS). THE CAPT WAS AWARE THIS NEEDED TO BE DONE BUT STILL DEPARTED WITHOUT IT. 2) CAPT ALLOWED FLT TO DEPART WITHOUT MEL BEING ADDED TO THE RELEASE PER PROCS. I EXPLICITLY INSTRUCTED HIM TO DO SO BEFORE HE DEPARTED SO AS TO ENSURE MEL WAS COMPLETED CORRECTLY. IN THE FUTURE, I WILL INHIBIT THE RELEASE SO FLT CANNOT DEPART UNTIL I'M SATISFIED PROCS ARE COMPLETED CORRECTLY.

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.