Narrative:

I discovered during preflight the aircraft had a deferred maintenance item, 'magnetic standby compass back-lighting was 1/2 burned out.' this deferral was listed on the flight release as an MEL item #xx-yy-Z which was idented an inoperative magnetic compass. I read the original pilot write-up and the mechanic wording on the MEL list and found the write-up was for the backlighting only, not the actual magnetic compass. I verified this myself by testing the light system on the compass and verifying the compass was actually functioning properly. I checked with the MEL on the aircraft as there is a specific MEL item which refers to 'cockpit/flight deck individual lights (yy-xx-Z).' the aircraft MEL logbook and flight release both reflected the wrong MEL item to the broken item. This of course reflects the availability of usable system on the aircraft, ie, the current number indicated the magnetic standby compass was inoperative when it was not. I contacted station via radio to contact maintenance control at xzx to advise them of the discrepancy, and get an amendment to the release and authority/authorized to change the MEL item number. The station told me via radio that maintenance control supervisor would not change anything, that it was correct and to call via phone myself if I requested further action. I contacted the maintenance control supervisor, and he first stated to me 'why are you unnecessarily delaying this flight?' I told him the aircraft was illegal and needed an MEL change -- discussing the aforementioned problem. He replied to me, 'I am not changing it, I would have to call out a mechanic -- you are going to have to call the chief pilot if you want to change it.' I asked to speak with his supervisor. He said there was none. I then talked to dispatch supervisor, apprised him of the problem, and asked if he would resolve the problem at his morning meeting. I further stated I would take the plane as per maintenance control the plane was not illegal, even though I felt it was. I departed ZZZ for ord. Upon arrival at ord, I was met by a mechanic who said he was informed the MEL was incorrect as I had idented and would make the appropriate corrections. The corrections were completed.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CANADAIR CL65 WAS DISPATCHED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH THE MAGNETIC COMPASS DEFERRED AS INOP WHEN INTERNAL LIGHTING ONLY HAD FAILED.

Narrative: I DISCOVERED DURING PREFLT THE ACFT HAD A DEFERRED MAINT ITEM, 'MAGNETIC STANDBY COMPASS BACK-LIGHTING WAS 1/2 BURNED OUT.' THIS DEFERRAL WAS LISTED ON THE FLT RELEASE AS AN MEL ITEM #XX-YY-Z WHICH WAS IDENTED AN INOP MAGNETIC COMPASS. I READ THE ORIGINAL PLT WRITE-UP AND THE MECH WORDING ON THE MEL LIST AND FOUND THE WRITE-UP WAS FOR THE BACKLIGHTING ONLY, NOT THE ACTUAL MAGNETIC COMPASS. I VERIFIED THIS MYSELF BY TESTING THE LIGHT SYS ON THE COMPASS AND VERIFYING THE COMPASS WAS ACTUALLY FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. I CHKED WITH THE MEL ON THE ACFT AS THERE IS A SPECIFIC MEL ITEM WHICH REFERS TO 'COCKPIT/FLT DECK INDIVIDUAL LIGHTS (YY-XX-Z).' THE ACFT MEL LOGBOOK AND FLT RELEASE BOTH REFLECTED THE WRONG MEL ITEM TO THE BROKEN ITEM. THIS OF COURSE REFLECTS THE AVAILABILITY OF USABLE SYS ON THE ACFT, IE, THE CURRENT NUMBER INDICATED THE MAGNETIC STANDBY COMPASS WAS INOP WHEN IT WAS NOT. I CONTACTED STATION VIA RADIO TO CONTACT MAINT CTL AT XZX TO ADVISE THEM OF THE DISCREPANCY, AND GET AN AMENDMENT TO THE RELEASE AND AUTH TO CHANGE THE MEL ITEM NUMBER. THE STATION TOLD ME VIA RADIO THAT MAINT CTL SUPVR WOULD NOT CHANGE ANYTHING, THAT IT WAS CORRECT AND TO CALL VIA PHONE MYSELF IF I REQUESTED FURTHER ACTION. I CONTACTED THE MAINT CTL SUPVR, AND HE FIRST STATED TO ME 'WHY ARE YOU UNNECESSARILY DELAYING THIS FLT?' I TOLD HIM THE ACFT WAS ILLEGAL AND NEEDED AN MEL CHANGE -- DISCUSSING THE AFOREMENTIONED PROB. HE REPLIED TO ME, 'I AM NOT CHANGING IT, I WOULD HAVE TO CALL OUT A MECH -- YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE TO CALL THE CHIEF PLT IF YOU WANT TO CHANGE IT.' I ASKED TO SPEAK WITH HIS SUPVR. HE SAID THERE WAS NONE. I THEN TALKED TO DISPATCH SUPVR, APPRISED HIM OF THE PROB, AND ASKED IF HE WOULD RESOLVE THE PROB AT HIS MORNING MEETING. I FURTHER STATED I WOULD TAKE THE PLANE AS PER MAINT CTL THE PLANE WAS NOT ILLEGAL, EVEN THOUGH I FELT IT WAS. I DEPARTED ZZZ FOR ORD. UPON ARR AT ORD, I WAS MET BY A MECH WHO SAID HE WAS INFORMED THE MEL WAS INCORRECT AS I HAD IDENTED AND WOULD MAKE THE APPROPRIATE CORRECTIONS. THE CORRECTIONS WERE COMPLETED.

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.