Narrative:

MEL miscue. On flight from ZZZ to ZZZ1 on jan/wed/02, I flubbed an MEL item. Specifically during taxi out we received a message stating RA #1 fault accompanied by the captain's radio altimeter tape 'off' flag coming into view. The ZZZ WX at the time was 1 mi visibility, moderate rain, and the taxi surfaces were very wet. I mention that because there is a statement in the A300's flight manual that says that during WX such as we were experiencing the radio altimeter tapes could fluctuate. We had in fact experienced that anomaly during our taxi in to the gate on arrival. After checking MEL we determined that we could placard the item, but the only question I couldn't resolve was complying with the MEL requirements. We consulted ZZZ maintenance and the technician initially thought we were experiencing the fluctuation issue. After amplified clarification from me, the initial read from ZZZ maintenance was that we needed to return to the gate. As we approached the gate area maintenance advised us that we could placard the item and comply with the MEL items. Forthrightly stated, I had forgotten about the provisions of the MEL coupled with another section of our manual permitting the placarding of the item. We did return to the gate, maintenance fixed the item with a circuit breaker reset and we departed ZZZ. During the flight to ZZZ1, I reviewed the provision of the MEL and discovered my error. To say I felt like a total dummy would be an understatement. However, as I've maintained throughout my career, if you're not learning something each day that one flies, then it's probably time to hang up the uniform. In my defense, the maintenance technician at ZZZ was obviously not familiar with our MEL. There was no mention made to me regarding its being included in the MEL. All he stated was that we had the MEL checklist on board the airplane. Had he referred me to the MEL I would have seen what I subsequently saw during the flight to ZZZ1 and we would have addressed the issue on the taxiway where we were parked and not returned to the gate. I estimate that my error cost us about 35-40 extra mins. I came to that conclusion based upon the fact that the coordination with the technician, coordinating with dispatch, researching the implications of the MEL item, giving me the information that would have to be put on the MEL, etc, would have taken at least 20-25 mins. As it was we were out the second time 1 hour later than the original out time. That's my story.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A300 CREW RETURNED TO THE GATE WITH RADIO ALTIMETER PROBS.

Narrative: MEL MISCUE. ON FLT FROM ZZZ TO ZZZ1 ON JAN/WED/02, I FLUBBED AN MEL ITEM. SPECIFICALLY DURING TAXI OUT WE RECEIVED A MESSAGE STATING RA #1 FAULT ACCOMPANIED BY THE CAPT'S RADIO ALTIMETER TAPE 'OFF' FLAG COMING INTO VIEW. THE ZZZ WX AT THE TIME WAS 1 MI VISIBILITY, MODERATE RAIN, AND THE TAXI SURFACES WERE VERY WET. I MENTION THAT BECAUSE THERE IS A STATEMENT IN THE A300'S FLT MANUAL THAT SAYS THAT DURING WX SUCH AS WE WERE EXPERIENCING THE RADIO ALTIMETER TAPES COULD FLUCTUATE. WE HAD IN FACT EXPERIENCED THAT ANOMALY DURING OUR TAXI IN TO THE GATE ON ARR. AFTER CHKING MEL WE DETERMINED THAT WE COULD PLACARD THE ITEM, BUT THE ONLY QUESTION I COULDN'T RESOLVE WAS COMPLYING WITH THE MEL REQUIREMENTS. WE CONSULTED ZZZ MAINT AND THE TECHNICIAN INITIALLY THOUGHT WE WERE EXPERIENCING THE FLUCTUATION ISSUE. AFTER AMPLIFIED CLARIFICATION FROM ME, THE INITIAL READ FROM ZZZ MAINT WAS THAT WE NEEDED TO RETURN TO THE GATE. AS WE APCHED THE GATE AREA MAINT ADVISED US THAT WE COULD PLACARD THE ITEM AND COMPLY WITH THE MEL ITEMS. FORTHRIGHTLY STATED, I HAD FORGOTTEN ABOUT THE PROVISIONS OF THE MEL COUPLED WITH ANOTHER SECTION OF OUR MANUAL PERMITTING THE PLACARDING OF THE ITEM. WE DID RETURN TO THE GATE, MAINT FIXED THE ITEM WITH A CIRCUIT BREAKER RESET AND WE DEPARTED ZZZ. DURING THE FLT TO ZZZ1, I REVIEWED THE PROVISION OF THE MEL AND DISCOVERED MY ERROR. TO SAY I FELT LIKE A TOTAL DUMMY WOULD BE AN UNDERSTATEMENT. HOWEVER, AS I'VE MAINTAINED THROUGHOUT MY CAREER, IF YOU'RE NOT LEARNING SOMETHING EACH DAY THAT ONE FLIES, THEN IT'S PROBABLY TIME TO HANG UP THE UNIFORM. IN MY DEFENSE, THE MAINT TECHNICIAN AT ZZZ WAS OBVIOUSLY NOT FAMILIAR WITH OUR MEL. THERE WAS NO MENTION MADE TO ME REGARDING ITS BEING INCLUDED IN THE MEL. ALL HE STATED WAS THAT WE HAD THE MEL CHKLIST ON BOARD THE AIRPLANE. HAD HE REFERRED ME TO THE MEL I WOULD HAVE SEEN WHAT I SUBSEQUENTLY SAW DURING THE FLT TO ZZZ1 AND WE WOULD HAVE ADDRESSED THE ISSUE ON THE TXWY WHERE WE WERE PARKED AND NOT RETURNED TO THE GATE. I ESTIMATE THAT MY ERROR COST US ABOUT 35-40 EXTRA MINS. I CAME TO THAT CONCLUSION BASED UPON THE FACT THAT THE COORD WITH THE TECHNICIAN, COORDINATING WITH DISPATCH, RESEARCHING THE IMPLICATIONS OF THE MEL ITEM, GIVING ME THE INFO THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE PUT ON THE MEL, ETC, WOULD HAVE TAKEN AT LEAST 20-25 MINS. AS IT WAS WE WERE OUT THE SECOND TIME 1 HR LATER THAN THE ORIGINAL OUT TIME. THAT'S MY STORY.

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.