Narrative:

Flight abcd, ZZZ-ccs, was dispatched with an inoperative thrust reverser contrary to MEL restrs and I failed to catch the error. While checking the MEL for restrs due to the write-up, I was interrupted by the mechanic in the cockpit putting a placard on the reverser light and missed the latin american restr on dispatch below the main MEL information. Having checked the runway length in ccs as well as the WX and runway lengths at the alternate, I was not overly concerned with the loss of use of one reverser, as we have been dispatched with this condition on several occasions in the past. The aircraft had just come in from ccs, so I had no reason to think it could not return there. My mistake was in not continuing to glean all the information from the MEL after the interruption. I do not remember if the inoperative reverser was on the flight plan, but I do remember getting to the cockpit after customs cleared the aircraft and remarking about all the placards in the logbook. I also remember noticing the sign-offs in ccs. It was not until the dispatcher informed me on aug/tue/01, of our mistake that I realized what had happened. At no time did I consider the condition to be of serious consequence and still wonder if the restr should be selectively applicable rather than geographically blanketed. Why is a domestic shorter runway safer than an international very long runway. Suffice it to say that I failed to read the entire MEL item which would have prevented departing mia with this condition.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN AIRBUS 300 WAS DISPATCHED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH A THRUST REVERSER DEFERRED BUT IN CONFLICT WITH THE MEL REQUIREMENTS.

Narrative: FLT ABCD, ZZZ-CCS, WAS DISPATCHED WITH AN INOP THRUST REVERSER CONTRARY TO MEL RESTRS AND I FAILED TO CATCH THE ERROR. WHILE CHKING THE MEL FOR RESTRS DUE TO THE WRITE-UP, I WAS INTERRUPTED BY THE MECH IN THE COCKPIT PUTTING A PLACARD ON THE REVERSER LIGHT AND MISSED THE LATIN AMERICAN RESTR ON DISPATCH BELOW THE MAIN MEL INFO. HAVING CHKED THE RWY LENGTH IN CCS AS WELL AS THE WX AND RWY LENGTHS AT THE ALTERNATE, I WAS NOT OVERLY CONCERNED WITH THE LOSS OF USE OF ONE REVERSER, AS WE HAVE BEEN DISPATCHED WITH THIS CONDITION ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS IN THE PAST. THE ACFT HAD JUST COME IN FROM CCS, SO I HAD NO REASON TO THINK IT COULD NOT RETURN THERE. MY MISTAKE WAS IN NOT CONTINUING TO GLEAN ALL THE INFO FROM THE MEL AFTER THE INTERRUPTION. I DO NOT REMEMBER IF THE INOP REVERSER WAS ON THE FLT PLAN, BUT I DO REMEMBER GETTING TO THE COCKPIT AFTER CUSTOMS CLRED THE ACFT AND REMARKING ABOUT ALL THE PLACARDS IN THE LOGBOOK. I ALSO REMEMBER NOTICING THE SIGN-OFFS IN CCS. IT WAS NOT UNTIL THE DISPATCHER INFORMED ME ON AUG/TUE/01, OF OUR MISTAKE THAT I REALIZED WHAT HAD HAPPENED. AT NO TIME DID I CONSIDER THE CONDITION TO BE OF SERIOUS CONSEQUENCE AND STILL WONDER IF THE RESTR SHOULD BE SELECTIVELY APPLICABLE RATHER THAN GEOGRAPHICALLY BLANKETED. WHY IS A DOMESTIC SHORTER RWY SAFER THAN AN INTL VERY LONG RWY. SUFFICE IT TO SAY THAT I FAILED TO READ THE ENTIRE MEL ITEM WHICH WOULD HAVE PREVENTED DEPARTING MIA WITH THIS CONDITION.

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.