An embraer 120 was dispatched in non compliance with a deferred item on the airborne flight informat...

Attributes
ACN	531958
Time
Date	200112
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sct.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Brasilia EMB-120 All Series
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other other
Flight Phase	cruise : level ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 3600 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	531958
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
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	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other other other
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : manuals contributing factor : schedule pressure performance deficiency : training performance deficiency : fault isolation performance deficiency : logbook entry
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Chart Or Publication Flight Crew Human Performance Maintenance Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

Flight XXX to ZZZ seemed to start out different. It is a special equipment required flight requiring a GPS unit. A portion of the FMS, afis, was only transmitting partial, non critical flight block data so it (the afis system) was written up in the aircraft log and deferred. Since the airborne flight information system was written up and no mention was made to the navigation portion of the system it was still being used by flight crew's with specific go ahead from company maintenance personnel (maintenance control). When seeing the write-up before the flight I questioned the usage of said navigation system required for flight with maintenance control and was assured that the afis portion of the system was written up and deferred while the navigation function was intact and ready for use. The item in the MEL had 2 subjects. The write-up was numbered 34-60-1A and appeared to address the afis capability or integrity. Directly below this item was 34-60-1B, setting long range navigation/GPS. The former entry with its wording led myself, my dispatcher (issued the release) and maintenance control to believe that the system as a whole could be used as long as its operational procedures of calling in times via radio was done. After confirming with maintenance control with release in hand I made the decision that the safety of the flight was not a concern and that the flight could proceed with the afis system not functioning as long as we complied with the operational procedures (calling in times via radio). We arrived in ZZZ safely and with an extended break on the ground. Was later notified to call my dispatcher before proceeding back to lax. The company informed me there was some confusion about the write-up in the log and that they couldn't be sure we were operating in the realm of the MEL. I/we decided since there was some confusion on the issue that we would cancel the flight back to lax and get a ferry permit and bring the plane to lax empty.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN EMBRAER 120 WAS DISPATCHED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH A DEFERRED ITEM ON THE AIRBORNE FLT INFO SYS THAT WAS NOT UNDERSTOOD BY THE CREW, DISPATCHER, OR MAINT.

Narrative: FLT XXX TO ZZZ SEEMED TO START OUT DIFFERENT. IT IS A SPECIAL EQUIP REQUIRED FLT REQUIRING A GPS UNIT. A PORTION OF THE FMS, AFIS, WAS ONLY XMITTING PARTIAL, NON CRITICAL FLT BLOCK DATA SO IT (THE AFIS SYS) WAS WRITTEN UP IN THE ACFT LOG AND DEFERRED. SINCE THE AIRBORNE FLT INFO SYS WAS WRITTEN UP AND NO MENTION WAS MADE TO THE NAV PORTION OF THE SYS IT WAS STILL BEING USED BY FLC'S WITH SPECIFIC GO AHEAD FROM COMPANY MAINT PERSONNEL (MAINT CTL). WHEN SEEING THE WRITE-UP BEFORE THE FLT I QUESTIONED THE USAGE OF SAID NAV SYS REQUIRED FOR FLT WITH MAINT CTL AND WAS ASSURED THAT THE AFIS PORTION OF THE SYS WAS WRITTEN UP AND DEFERRED WHILE THE NAV FUNCTION WAS INTACT AND READY FOR USE. THE ITEM IN THE MEL HAD 2 SUBJECTS. THE WRITE-UP WAS NUMBERED 34-60-1A AND APPEARED TO ADDRESS THE AFIS CAPABILITY OR INTEGRITY. DIRECTLY BELOW THIS ITEM WAS 34-60-1B, SETTING LONG RANGE NAV/GPS. THE FORMER ENTRY WITH ITS WORDING LED MYSELF, MY DISPATCHER (ISSUED THE RELEASE) AND MAINT CTL TO BELIEVE THAT THE SYS AS A WHOLE COULD BE USED AS LONG AS ITS OPERATIONAL PROCS OF CALLING IN TIMES VIA RADIO WAS DONE. AFTER CONFIRMING WITH MAINT CTL WITH RELEASE IN HAND I MADE THE DECISION THAT THE SAFETY OF THE FLT WAS NOT A CONCERN AND THAT THE FLT COULD PROCEED WITH THE AFIS SYS NOT FUNCTIONING AS LONG AS WE COMPLIED WITH THE OPERATIONAL PROCS (CALLING IN TIMES VIA RADIO). WE ARRIVED IN ZZZ SAFELY AND WITH AN EXTENDED BREAK ON THE GND. WAS LATER NOTIFIED TO CALL MY DISPATCHER BEFORE PROCEEDING BACK TO LAX. THE COMPANY INFORMED ME THERE WAS SOME CONFUSION ABOUT THE WRITE-UP IN THE LOG AND THAT THEY COULDN'T BE SURE WE WERE OPERATING IN THE REALM OF THE MEL. I/WE DECIDED SINCE THERE WAS SOME CONFUSION ON THE ISSUE THAT WE WOULD CANCEL THE FLT BACK TO LAX AND GET A FERRY PERMIT AND BRING THE PLANE TO LAX EMPTY.

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.

An embraer 120 was dispatched in non compliance with a deferred item on the airborne flight information system that was not understood by the crew, dispatcher, or maintenance.