Air carrier crew told they may have flown an aircraft in non compliance with MEL.

Attributes
ACN	475590
Time
Date	200006
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : tol.airport
State Reference	OH
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Regional Jet CL65, Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 90 flight time total : 3600 flight time type : 90
ASRS Report	475590
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Events
Anomaly	maintenance problem : non compliance with mel
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

My crew and I flew an aircraft back to base the morning of jun/fri/00. The flight was a scheduled passenger flight operated under 121 flight rules. It has been brought to my attention that there may have been an expired MEL (deferral) item for the aircraft we flew. If that is the case, we unknowingly and inadvertently flew the aircraft illegally. I believe that the crew and I were aware of all MEL items and I reviewed and briefed all known deferrals. In the future, I will be especially vigilant when reviewing an aircraft's maintenance history/logbook.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR CREW TOLD THEY MAY HAVE FLOWN AN ACFT IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH MEL.

Narrative: MY CREW AND I FLEW AN ACFT BACK TO BASE THE MORNING OF JUN/FRI/00. THE FLT WAS A SCHEDULED PAX FLT OPERATED UNDER 121 FLT RULES. IT HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO MY ATTN THAT THERE MAY HAVE BEEN AN EXPIRED MEL (DEFERRAL) ITEM FOR THE ACFT WE FLEW. IF THAT IS THE CASE, WE UNKNOWINGLY AND INADVERTENTLY FLEW THE ACFT ILLEGALLY. I BELIEVE THAT THE CREW AND I WERE AWARE OF ALL MEL ITEMS AND I REVIEWED AND BRIEFED ALL KNOWN DEFERRALS. IN THE FUTURE, I WILL BE ESPECIALLY VIGILANT WHEN REVIEWING AN ACFT'S MAINT HISTORY/LOGBOOK.

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.