DC10- crew found an MEL item which was incorrectly listed and was not cleared.

Attributes
ACN	549231
Time
Date	200205
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : prc.airport
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	msl single value : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zab.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-10 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 85 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 3500
ASRS Report	549231
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 non adherence : far
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 : repair performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements performance deficiency : logbook entry
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Company Aircraft Maintenance Human Performance
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

En route, the so discovered MEL entry from a previous flight that had not been closed or deferred. It had apparently been overlooked by maintenance, as well. -- It was stuck to another page, in the wrong location in the logbook, and the pages were not in the proper sequence. The problem wasn't serious, so we continued on to our destination. I suggest we simplify maintenance paperwork -- fewer items to review during the extreme' crunch line' prior to pushback might have permitted the captain or so to have discovered the entry. As it stands now, we're required to review a multiple page, single spaced printed document (maintenance release document) which also includes an MEL summary (quite long lately), then dig through a traditional 3-RING notebook logbook, looking for 'last min' write-ups and, now, random 'lost' pages -- too much, under too much time pressure. This could've been a very different story, if the write-up had been of a more critical nature!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DC10- CREW FOUND AN MEL ITEM WHICH WAS INCORRECTLY LISTED AND WAS NOT CLRED.

Narrative: ENRTE, THE SO DISCOVERED MEL ENTRY FROM A PREVIOUS FLT THAT HAD NOT BEEN CLOSED OR DEFERRED. IT HAD APPARENTLY BEEN OVERLOOKED BY MAINT, AS WELL. -- IT WAS STUCK TO ANOTHER PAGE, IN THE WRONG LOCATION IN THE LOGBOOK, AND THE PAGES WERE NOT IN THE PROPER SEQUENCE. THE PROB WASN'T SERIOUS, SO WE CONTINUED ON TO OUR DEST. I SUGGEST WE SIMPLIFY MAINT PAPERWORK -- FEWER ITEMS TO REVIEW DURING THE EXTREME' CRUNCH LINE' PRIOR TO PUSHBACK MIGHT HAVE PERMITTED THE CAPT OR SO TO HAVE DISCOVERED THE ENTRY. AS IT STANDS NOW, WE'RE REQUIRED TO REVIEW A MULTIPLE PAGE, SINGLE SPACED PRINTED DOCUMENT (MAINT RELEASE DOCUMENT) WHICH ALSO INCLUDES AN MEL SUMMARY (QUITE LONG LATELY), THEN DIG THROUGH A TRADITIONAL 3-RING NOTEBOOK LOGBOOK, LOOKING FOR 'LAST MIN' WRITE-UPS AND, NOW, RANDOM 'LOST' PAGES -- TOO MUCH, UNDER TOO MUCH TIME PRESSURE. THIS COULD'VE BEEN A VERY DIFFERENT STORY, IF THE WRITE-UP HAD BEEN OF A MORE CRITICAL NATURE!

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.