A B737-200 had an incorrect placard on a leading edge device position indication incurring a speed restr caused by complex, ambiguous notations in the MEL.

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Attributes
ACN	463268
Time
Date	200002
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : parked ground : maintenance
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 12000
ASRS Report	463268
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : improper documentation maintenance problem : non compliance with mel non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Consequence	other other
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : schedule pressure contributing factor : manuals performance deficiency : logbook entry performance deficiency : fault isolation
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Chart Or Publication Maintenance Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Chart Or Publication

Narrative:

Complex MEL situation with notations in the exception column that were ambiguous. Aircraft placarded by previous pilot for 27-9 with reference to 27-1. The only problem was 27-9. 27-1 had been placarded unnecessarily. The mechanics were confused, which made a complex situation worse. We ended up taking the aircraft from the gate then returning for an unrelated problem. Make the MEL's so that the average mechanic and average pilot can understand them without a degree in rocket science being required. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the aircraft was a B737-200 and the problem was a leading edge device indication problem. The reporter said maintenance did not identify the correct mode of failure and deferred and placarded the fault wrong incurring an unnecessary speed restr. The reporter said interping the MEL can be a frustrating and confusing procedure.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-200 HAD AN INCORRECT PLACARD ON A LEADING EDGE DEVICE POS INDICATION INCURRING A SPD RESTR CAUSED BY COMPLEX, AMBIGUOUS NOTATIONS IN THE MEL.

Narrative: COMPLEX MEL SIT WITH NOTATIONS IN THE EXCEPTION COLUMN THAT WERE AMBIGUOUS. ACFT PLACARDED BY PREVIOUS PLT FOR 27-9 WITH REF TO 27-1. THE ONLY PROB WAS 27-9. 27-1 HAD BEEN PLACARDED UNNECESSARILY. THE MECHS WERE CONFUSED, WHICH MADE A COMPLEX SIT WORSE. WE ENDED UP TAKING THE ACFT FROM THE GATE THEN RETURNING FOR AN UNRELATED PROB. MAKE THE MEL'S SO THAT THE AVERAGE MECH AND AVERAGE PLT CAN UNDERSTAND THEM WITHOUT A DEGREE IN ROCKET SCIENCE BEING REQUIRED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE ACFT WAS A B737-200 AND THE PROB WAS A LEADING EDGE DEVICE INDICATION PROB. THE RPTR SAID MAINT DID NOT IDENT THE CORRECT MODE OF FAILURE AND DEFERRED AND PLACARDED THE FAULT WRONG INCURRING AN UNNECESSARY SPD RESTR. THE RPTR SAID INTERPING THE MEL CAN BE A FRUSTRATING AND CONFUSING PROC.

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.