Narrative:

We had an aircraft with an ECAM message left spoiler #4 fault. After trying to do the reset procedure it did not work. We noted that the reset procedure had been previously accomplished. At this we talked to maintenance control center and decided to place them on MEL. We accomplished the MEL lockout procedure and had the flight crew verify this by an operations check which was successful because the spoilers did not raise. The aircraft headed to XXX from ZZZ and on his way into XXX they declared and emergency because the left #4 spoiler came up about 2 in. They landed without incident and after taxi to the gate maintenance said that left #4 spoiler was not completely hydraulically locked out. It was electrically and the right side was fine. The problem I had was the MEL procedure was not explicit on what they meant by the maintenance device being in the 'M' maintenance position or the statement (until it contacts the 'O' stop). There are figures but nothing showing 'M' position or 'O' stop. At this, along with others gathered around we agreed what the MEL meant and by verifying spoiler lock out by the flight crew operation we felt we did it properly. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the procedure was accomplished per the MEL requirements but a lot of discussion and concern was expressed about what were the 'O' and 'M' positions as no markings were on the actuator housing. The reporter said the procedure to deactivate the spoilers was accomplished and the left and right spoilers remained locked down. The reporter stated that on the ground in XXX the diversion station the spoilers were again checked and #4 left and right remained down. The reporter requested clarification for the MEL procedures be initiated. Supplemental information from acn 509497: MEL'd #4 flight spoiler on left wing extended in flight, uncommanded. Unable to retract. Declared flight control emergency and landed XXX, runway 36L. It was discovered when a/P engaged, as automatic rudder trim began to function. Contributing factors include a recent MEL, mechanics who had just finished working on spoiler panel to MEL in retracted position who seemed confused by their procedure. They indicated that the MEL book had poorly worded instructions. Callback from acn 509497: the reporter stated the #4 left spoiler was fully deployed at flight level 28000 ft with no flight control warning. The reporter said an emergency was declared and diversion was made to XXX. The reporter stated XXX technicians checked the #4 left and right flight spoilers on the ground and both remained locked down. The reporter stated the technicians in ZZZ commented on the MEL procedures for locking the spoilers down being poorly worded.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN AIRBUS 319 IN CLB AT FL280 DECLARED AN EMER AND DIVERTED DUE TO L #4 FLT SPOILER DEPLOYING CAUSED BY CONFUSING MEL PROC.

Narrative: WE HAD AN ACFT WITH AN ECAM MSG L SPOILER #4 FAULT. AFTER TRYING TO DO THE RESET PROC IT DID NOT WORK. WE NOTED THAT THE RESET PROC HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY ACCOMPLISHED. AT THIS WE TALKED TO MAINT CTL CTR AND DECIDED TO PLACE THEM ON MEL. WE ACCOMPLISHED THE MEL LOCKOUT PROC AND HAD THE FLC VERIFY THIS BY AN OPS CHK WHICH WAS SUCCESSFUL BECAUSE THE SPOILERS DID NOT RAISE. THE ACFT HEADED TO XXX FROM ZZZ AND ON HIS WAY INTO XXX THEY DECLARED AND EMER BECAUSE THE L #4 SPOILER CAME UP ABOUT 2 IN. THEY LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT AND AFTER TAXI TO THE GATE MAINT SAID THAT L #4 SPOILER WAS NOT COMPLETELY HYDRAULICALLY LOCKED OUT. IT WAS ELECTRICALLY AND THE RIGHT SIDE WAS FINE. THE PROB I HAD WAS THE MEL PROC WAS NOT EXPLICIT ON WHAT THEY MEANT BY THE MAINT DEVICE BEING IN THE 'M' MAINT POSITION OR THE STATEMENT (UNTIL IT CONTACTS THE 'O' STOP). THERE ARE FIGURES BUT NOTHING SHOWING 'M' POSITION OR 'O' STOP. AT THIS, ALONG WITH OTHERS GATHERED AROUND WE AGREED WHAT THE MEL MEANT AND BY VERIFYING SPOILER LOCK OUT BY THE FLC OP WE FELT WE DID IT PROPERLY. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE PROC WAS ACCOMPLISHED PER THE MEL REQUIREMENTS BUT A LOT OF DISCUSSION AND CONCERN WAS EXPRESSED ABOUT WHAT WERE THE 'O' AND 'M' POSITIONS AS NO MARKINGS WERE ON THE ACTUATOR HOUSING. THE RPTR SAID THE PROC TO DEACTIVATE THE SPOILERS WAS ACCOMPLISHED AND THE L AND R SPOILERS REMAINED LOCKED DOWN. THE RPTR STATED THAT ON THE GROUND IN XXX THE DIVERSION STATION THE SPOILERS WERE AGAIN CHKED AND #4 L AND R REMAINED DOWN. THE RPTR REQUESTED CLARIFICATION FOR THE MEL PROCS BE INITIATED. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 509497: MEL'D #4 FLT SPOILER ON L WING EXTENDED IN FLT, UNCOMMANDED. UNABLE TO RETRACT. DECLARED FLT CTL EMER AND LANDED XXX, RWY 36L. IT WAS DISCOVERED WHEN A/P ENGAGED, AS AUTO RUDDER TRIM BEGAN TO FUNCTION. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS INCLUDE A RECENT MEL, MECHANICS WHO HAD JUST FINISHED WORKING ON SPOILER PANEL TO MEL IN RETRACTED POS WHO SEEMED CONFUSED BY THEIR PROC. THEY INDICATED THAT THE MEL BOOK HAD POORLY WORDED INSTRUCTIONS. CALLBACK FROM ACN 509497: THE RPTR STATED THE #4 L SPOILER WAS FULLY DEPLOYED AT FLT LEVEL 28000 FT WITH NO FLT CTL WARNING. THE RPTR SAID AN EMER WAS DECLARED AND DIVERSION WAS MADE TO XXX. THE RPTR STATED XXX TECHNICIANS CHKED THE #4 L AND R FLT SPOILERS ON THE GND AND BOTH REMAINED LOCKED DOWN. THE RPTR STATED THE TECHNICIANS IN ZZZ COMMENTED ON THE MEL PROCS FOR LOCKING THE SPOILERS DOWN BEING POORLY WORDED.

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.