After being threatened with an adverse employee action, captain of an large transport went on record as objecting to operate the aircraft with an incomplete MEL placard and provisions.

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Attributes
ACN	548905
Time
Date	200205
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : las.airport
State Reference	NV
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : parked 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 : 200 flight time total : 17000 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	548905
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe maintenance problem : improper documentation maintenance problem : non compliance with mel maintenance problem : improper maintenance non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure non adherence : company policies
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : acft mel placard other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	other
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : schedule pressure performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Maintenance Human Performance Company Aircraft
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

Maintenance installed a placard (MEL) on the airplane which did not address the inoperative component specifically. The installed MEL never mentioned the component and was vaguely related. I did not want to accept this, so I began to protest and argue my point with my dispatcher, the maintenance controller, the pilot manager on duty and ultimately the chief pilot of air carrier. He informed me in no uncertain terms that 'we have to move the airplane. You have 2 good mikes, you are required to fly that airplane.' so, under the threat of implied disciplinary action, I informed him that 'I will fly the airplane under protest, and I think you are wrong.'

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AFTER BEING THREATENED WITH AN ADVERSE EMPLOYEE ACTION, CAPT OF AN LGT WENT ON RECORD AS OBJECTING TO OPERATE THE ACFT WITH AN INCOMPLETE MEL PLACARD AND PROVISIONS.

Narrative: MAINT INSTALLED A PLACARD (MEL) ON THE AIRPLANE WHICH DID NOT ADDRESS THE INOP COMPONENT SPECIFICALLY. THE INSTALLED MEL NEVER MENTIONED THE COMPONENT AND WAS VAGUELY RELATED. I DID NOT WANT TO ACCEPT THIS, SO I BEGAN TO PROTEST AND ARGUE MY POINT WITH MY DISPATCHER, THE MAINT CTLR, THE PLT MGR ON DUTY AND ULTIMATELY THE CHIEF PLT OF ACR. HE INFORMED ME IN NO UNCERTAIN TERMS THAT 'WE HAVE TO MOVE THE AIRPLANE. YOU HAVE 2 GOOD MIKES, YOU ARE REQUIRED TO FLY THAT AIRPLANE.' SO, UNDER THE THREAT OF IMPLIED DISCIPLINARY ACTION, I INFORMED HIM THAT 'I WILL FLY THE AIRPLANE UNDER PROTEST, AND I THINK YOU ARE WRONG.'

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.