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A B757-200 was dispatched in non compliance with the cockpit indicator light dimmer system deferred as inoperative in conflict with the MEL.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 537425 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200202 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B757-200 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | ground : parked ground : maintenance |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine |
| ASRS Report | 537425 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : non compliance with mel non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : indicating lights other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | other other |
| Factors | |
| Maintenance | contributing factor : schedule pressure contributing factor : manuals performance deficiency : logbook entry performance deficiency : fault isolation performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Chart Or Publication Aircraft Maintenance Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Maintenance Human Performance |
Narrative:
The aircraft was dispatched with an MEL for the indicator lights dimming system inoperative, under MEL 33-01. At the bottom of the MEL page is a note 'does not apply to the annunciator light system....' during the cruise, as darkness fell, the indicator lights started alternating from bright to dim every few seconds -- extremely distracting. Upon further review of the MEL, the crew noted that there is no annunciator light system on the B757 -- only an indicator light system, and the panel is labeled as such. It became apparent that the aircraft should not be operating with the indicator lights system dimmer inoperative, under MEL 33-01, and that incorrect wording is in the MEL. Curiously, upon review of the entry for the aircraft, it says '...operate daylight only,' but there is no mention of this in the technical log or in the MEL.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A B757-200 WAS DISPATCHED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH THE COCKPIT INDICATOR LIGHT DIMMER SYS DEFERRED AS INOP IN CONFLICT WITH THE MEL.
Narrative: THE ACFT WAS DISPATCHED WITH AN MEL FOR THE INDICATOR LIGHTS DIMMING SYS INOP, UNDER MEL 33-01. AT THE BOTTOM OF THE MEL PAGE IS A NOTE 'DOES NOT APPLY TO THE ANNUNCIATOR LIGHT SYS....' DURING THE CRUISE, AS DARKNESS FELL, THE INDICATOR LIGHTS STARTED ALTERNATING FROM BRIGHT TO DIM EVERY FEW SECONDS -- EXTREMELY DISTRACTING. UPON FURTHER REVIEW OF THE MEL, THE CREW NOTED THAT THERE IS NO ANNUNCIATOR LIGHT SYS ON THE B757 -- ONLY AN INDICATOR LIGHT SYS, AND THE PANEL IS LABELED AS SUCH. IT BECAME APPARENT THAT THE ACFT SHOULD NOT BE OPERATING WITH THE INDICATOR LIGHTS SYS DIMMER INOP, UNDER MEL 33-01, AND THAT INCORRECT WORDING IS IN THE MEL. CURIOUSLY, UPON REVIEW OF THE ENTRY FOR THE ACFT, IT SAYS '...OPERATE DAYLIGHT ONLY,' BUT THERE IS NO MENTION OF THIS IN THE TECHNICAL LOG OR IN THE MEL.
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.