Narrative:

On apr/xa/00 I was assigned to dispatch aircraft xyz, flight xx at XA40. At approximately 10 mins before departure, I noticed my partner was assigned an MEL procedure by the lead. Being pressured for time, I did not ask what it was for at the time. I then proceeded to help my partner. As we were starting the procedures in the MEL, I asked him what it was for. He also did not know. We then stopped to investigate. One of the items in the MEL was to pull the 'APU inlet door actuator circuit breaker'. My partner then went to the office to find out what to do. I went to the art cargo pit to stand by, in case I had to pull the circuit breaker. While waiting, I noticed time was getting short, so I called into the office for instructions. They told me to 'hold off' on pulling the circuit breaker. A few mins later, my partner came out and we dispatched the aircraft. After the dispatch, I proceeded to the office and told my team leader and leads that I did not pull the circuit breaker. Realizing that the MEL was not done properly, they called the aircraft back to the gate. Back at gate, the people in charge consulted with the fleet controller on what to do. The fleet controller told them that our MEL is wrong and to leave the circuit breaker in. It was then released and dispatched. Suspecting that the procedure was a deviation from the MEL, I did not put time on the non routine. I felt that since I did not do any of the procedures on the MEL, I would not take any responsibility and sign off on the non routine.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B767-300 WAS DISPATCHED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH A DEFERRED APU BECAUSE MEL REQUIRED SPECIAL PROCS NOT COMPLETED.

Narrative: ON APR/XA/00 I WAS ASSIGNED TO DISPATCH ACFT XYZ, FLT XX AT XA40. AT APPROX 10 MINS BEFORE DEP, I NOTICED MY PARTNER WAS ASSIGNED AN MEL PROC BY THE LEAD. BEING PRESSURED FOR TIME, I DID NOT ASK WHAT IT WAS FOR AT THE TIME. I THEN PROCEEDED TO HELP MY PARTNER. AS WE WERE STARTING THE PROCS IN THE MEL, I ASKED HIM WHAT IT WAS FOR. HE ALSO DID NOT KNOW. WE THEN STOPPED TO INVESTIGATE. ONE OF THE ITEMS IN THE MEL WAS TO PULL THE 'APU INLET DOOR ACTUATOR CIRCUIT BREAKER'. MY PARTNER THEN WENT TO THE OFFICE TO FIND OUT WHAT TO DO. I WENT TO THE ART CARGO PIT TO STAND BY, IN CASE I HAD TO PULL THE CIRCUIT BREAKER. WHILE WAITING, I NOTICED TIME WAS GETTING SHORT, SO I CALLED INTO THE OFFICE FOR INSTRUCTIONS. THEY TOLD ME TO 'HOLD OFF' ON PULLING THE CIRCUIT BREAKER. A FEW MINS LATER, MY PARTNER CAME OUT AND WE DISPATCHED THE ACFT. AFTER THE DISPATCH, I PROCEEDED TO THE OFFICE AND TOLD MY TEAM LEADER AND LEADS THAT I DID NOT PULL THE CIRCUIT BREAKER. REALIZING THAT THE MEL WAS NOT DONE PROPERLY, THEY CALLED THE ACFT BACK TO THE GATE. BACK AT GATE, THE PEOPLE IN CHARGE CONSULTED WITH THE FLEET CTLR ON WHAT TO DO. THE FLEET CTLR TOLD THEM THAT OUR MEL IS WRONG AND TO LEAVE THE CIRCUIT BREAKER IN. IT WAS THEN RELEASED AND DISPATCHED. SUSPECTING THAT THE PROC WAS A DEV FROM THE MEL, I DID NOT PUT TIME ON THE NON ROUTINE. I FELT THAT SINCE I DID NOT DO ANY OF THE PROCS ON THE MEL, I WOULD NOT TAKE ANY RESPONSIBILITY AND SIGN OFF ON THE NON ROUTINE.

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.