An MD88 was dispatched in non compliance with an 'elevator at limit' light which was deferred inoperative. This conflicted with a previously deferred item which required this light operative.

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Attributes
ACN	487274
Time
Date	200009
Day	Sat
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	MD-88
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 : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 3800
ASRS Report	487274
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : improper documentation maintenance problem : improper maintenance maintenance problem : non compliance with mel non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : elevator at limit light other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other other
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : schedule pressure contributing factor : manuals performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements performance deficiency : logbook entry performance deficiency : inspection performance deficiency : fault isolation
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Chart Or Publication Aircraft Company Maintenance Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

Flight crew taxied out in an aircraft that had an existing MEL item (maintenance carry over) pylon flap fault. On taxi out crew noticed that the 'elevator at limit' did not illuminate during a flight control check. Crew contacted maintenance via radio to inquire if this was normal with the current maintenance carry over item. Maintenance researched and said we had to taxi back to ramp to let maintenance do a visual check of our elevator range. They okayed it and signed the logbook. Flight crew took aircraft to ont. At this station during a discussion with the maintenance coordinator the captain (self) decided that the 'elevator at limit' light needed to be dealt with individually using its own MEL item. Upon trying to comply with this MEL item we found the aircraft unable to meet the necessary requirements for dispatch. Flight was canceled. The reason for this report is that the flight crew flew an aircraft at the direction of maintenance that we later found to be illegal for dispatch using all applicable MEL items.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD88 WAS DISPATCHED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH AN 'ELEVATOR AT LIMIT' LIGHT WHICH WAS DEFERRED INOP. THIS CONFLICTED WITH A PREVIOUSLY DEFERRED ITEM WHICH REQUIRED THIS LIGHT OPERATIVE.

Narrative: FLC TAXIED OUT IN AN ACFT THAT HAD AN EXISTING MEL ITEM (MAINT CARRY OVER) PYLON FLAP FAULT. ON TAXI OUT CREW NOTICED THAT THE 'ELEVATOR AT LIMIT' DID NOT ILLUMINATE DURING A FLT CTL CHK. CREW CONTACTED MAINT VIA RADIO TO INQUIRE IF THIS WAS NORMAL WITH THE CURRENT MAINT CARRY OVER ITEM. MAINT RESEARCHED AND SAID WE HAD TO TAXI BACK TO RAMP TO LET MAINT DO A VISUAL CHK OF OUR ELEVATOR RANGE. THEY OKAYED IT AND SIGNED THE LOGBOOK. FLC TOOK ACFT TO ONT. AT THIS STATION DURING A DISCUSSION WITH THE MAINT COORDINATOR THE CAPT (SELF) DECIDED THAT THE 'ELEVATOR AT LIMIT' LIGHT NEEDED TO BE DEALT WITH INDIVIDUALLY USING ITS OWN MEL ITEM. UPON TRYING TO COMPLY WITH THIS MEL ITEM WE FOUND THE ACFT UNABLE TO MEET THE NECESSARY REQUIREMENTS FOR DISPATCH. FLT WAS CANCELED. THE REASON FOR THIS RPT IS THAT THE FLC FLEW AN ACFT AT THE DIRECTION OF MAINT THAT WE LATER FOUND TO BE ILLEGAL FOR DISPATCH USING ALL APPLICABLE MEL ITEMS.

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.