Air carrier dispatch omitted MEL item on original release. Corrected on subsequent release. Jnu, ak.

Attributes
ACN	446220
Time
Date	199908
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : jnu.airport
State Reference	AK
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 11500 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	446220
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe maintenance problem : improper documentation non adherence : far non adherence : company policies
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Original release failed to show my #1 transponder was on MEL. Several legs later I received a new dispatch release that showed the #1 transponder inoperative. The dispatcher evidently just forgot to add the inoperative #1 transponder to the original release. I believe they just forgot to add the MEL or they wouldn't have shown it on a subsequent release for the same airplane and crew flying on the same flight. The MEL didn't present a problem, as we have dual xponders. I believe this problem to be human error. The dispatcher just forgot to add the MEL to the release, but disconnects lead to incidents that result in accidents.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR DISPATCH OMITTED MEL ITEM ON ORIGINAL RELEASE. CORRECTED ON SUBSEQUENT RELEASE. JNU, AK.

Narrative: ORIGINAL RELEASE FAILED TO SHOW MY #1 XPONDER WAS ON MEL. SEVERAL LEGS LATER I RECEIVED A NEW DISPATCH RELEASE THAT SHOWED THE #1 XPONDER INOP. THE DISPATCHER EVIDENTLY JUST FORGOT TO ADD THE INOP #1 XPONDER TO THE ORIGINAL RELEASE. I BELIEVE THEY JUST FORGOT TO ADD THE MEL OR THEY WOULDN'T HAVE SHOWN IT ON A SUBSEQUENT RELEASE FOR THE SAME AIRPLANE AND CREW FLYING ON THE SAME FLT. THE MEL DIDN'T PRESENT A PROB, AS WE HAVE DUAL XPONDERS. I BELIEVE THIS PROB TO BE HUMAN ERROR. THE DISPATCHER JUST FORGOT TO ADD THE MEL TO THE RELEASE, BUT DISCONNECTS LEAD TO INCIDENTS THAT RESULT IN ACCIDENTS.

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.