Narrative:

Before beginning my trip for the day, I reviewed our aircraft's discrepancy logbook. There was only 1 write-up. The write-up was for the observer's headset being garbled. After checking the deferral, I discovered that this item was deferred incorrectly. The deferral was actually for the headset jack, not the headset itself. I contacted our maintenance control to discuss the situation. We both agreed that it was deferred incorrectly. He asked if I would check the observer's headset and jack and see if it sounded ok. I checked the headset and jack and found everything to be loud and clear. My maintenance controller told me that I could clear this MEL, and instructed me to write in the discrepancy log. I complied with his instructions and we began our trip. I learned later in the day that I, as a pilot, cannot clear an item legally in our discrepancy log.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A BE1900 WAS DISPATCHED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH A DEFERRED PLT LOGBOOK ACFT DISCREPANCY CLRED BY THE OUTBOUND CAPT.

Narrative: BEFORE BEGINNING MY TRIP FOR THE DAY, I REVIEWED OUR ACFT'S DISCREPANCY LOGBOOK. THERE WAS ONLY 1 WRITE-UP. THE WRITE-UP WAS FOR THE OBSERVER'S HEADSET BEING GARBLED. AFTER CHKING THE DEFERRAL, I DISCOVERED THAT THIS ITEM WAS DEFERRED INCORRECTLY. THE DEFERRAL WAS ACTUALLY FOR THE HEADSET JACK, NOT THE HEADSET ITSELF. I CONTACTED OUR MAINT CTL TO DISCUSS THE SIT. WE BOTH AGREED THAT IT WAS DEFERRED INCORRECTLY. HE ASKED IF I WOULD CHK THE OBSERVER'S HEADSET AND JACK AND SEE IF IT SOUNDED OK. I CHKED THE HEADSET AND JACK AND FOUND EVERYTHING TO BE LOUD AND CLR. MY MAINT CTLR TOLD ME THAT I COULD CLR THIS MEL, AND INSTRUCTED ME TO WRITE IN THE DISCREPANCY LOG. I COMPLIED WITH HIS INSTRUCTIONS AND WE BEGAN OUR TRIP. I LEARNED LATER IN THE DAY THAT I, AS A PLT, CANNOT CLR AN ITEM LEGALLY IN OUR DISCREPANCY LOG.

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.