A DC9 was dispatched in non compliance with the flight intercom deferred using the wrong MEL number.

Attributes
ACN	533638
Time
Date	200112
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
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 : 150 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	533638
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe maintenance problem : non compliance with mel non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : schedule pressure performance deficiency : logbook entry performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements performance deficiency : fault isolation
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Maintenance Human Performance Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

At gate flight attendant reported intercom problems. I called maintenance and the mechanic came up to work on problem. 5 mins or less before pushback he said 'you're all set.' I asked if he fixed it and he said he MEL'ed it. He MEL'ed it under an MEL that has been deleted by a flight information file that appears on the release and in expanded form in my paperwork. I sent the MEL number to dispatch and they amended the release. En route to destination, I realized the error and upon arrival, maintenance changed MEL number. We did meet all requirements to operate under MEL, it was just written up under the wrong number.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DC9 WAS DISPATCHED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH THE FLT INTERCOM DEFERRED USING THE WRONG MEL NUMBER.

Narrative: AT GATE FLT ATTENDANT RPTED INTERCOM PROBS. I CALLED MAINT AND THE MECH CAME UP TO WORK ON PROB. 5 MINS OR LESS BEFORE PUSHBACK HE SAID 'YOU'RE ALL SET.' I ASKED IF HE FIXED IT AND HE SAID HE MEL'ED IT. HE MEL'ED IT UNDER AN MEL THAT HAS BEEN DELETED BY A FLT INFO FILE THAT APPEARS ON THE RELEASE AND IN EXPANDED FORM IN MY PAPERWORK. I SENT THE MEL NUMBER TO DISPATCH AND THEY AMENDED THE RELEASE. ENRTE TO DEST, I REALIZED THE ERROR AND UPON ARR, MAINT CHANGED MEL NUMBER. WE DID MEET ALL REQUIREMENTS TO OPERATE UNDER MEL, IT WAS JUST WRITTEN UP UNDER THE WRONG NUMBER.

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.