Narrative:

Upon arrival at the aircraft, my first officer and myself checked the maintenance logbook to discover that the antiskid was on an MEL #32-4. MEL 32-4 was also listed on the aircraft departure paperwork (flight plan, etc). After turning directly to the page number listed in the MEL, the MEL advised to call flight operations to determine the takeoff penalty that was listed in the afm appendix #2, which is only kept in flight operations. The flight crew has no access to this information. The person in flight operations was not sure how to properly consult the manual, so I called our certified dispatching service XXX to get the information. XXX twice told me there was no penalty for the MD80. Not believing this, I had them facsimile me performance information for antiskid inoperative. What I received was landing data only. I again called XXX to clarify that I needed takeoff performance and again was told 'no penalty.' I then consulted the abnormal section to find that there were only procedures to correct 'antiskid light illuminated' -- no reference to performance. I then looked at the limitations section to find it said to consult the MEL. The limitations stated this for the DC9 as well as MD80. Having said all of this, I elected to take the flight ZZZ2 and on to ZZZ with the blessings of XXX and my own flight operations. Upon arrival at ZZZ, I was informed that you cannot dispatch in the MD80 with the antiskid inoperative. There was apparently an oversight when our manuals were being written and an assumption that if the DC9 can dispatch, so can the MD80. When you turn to the page number listed on the MEL, the procedure stated is not aircraft specific. There is only 1 procedure stated, and it does not specify for what series aircraft. I have also enclosed my first officer's report. This kind of situation where everyone (flight operations, dispatch, maintenance control) say you're good to go then to find out you're not after the fact really sets up the flight crew for a violation beyond their control -- especially since the flight crew does not have physical access to pertinent information that is needed. In this situation, the flight crew has to rely on what is being told to them, and consider the information as correct (even though it may not be).

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD82 WAS DISPATCHED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH THE ANTISKID SYS INOP PER THE MEL, IN CONFLICT WITH THE ACFT FLT MANUAL.

Narrative: UPON ARR AT THE ACFT, MY FO AND MYSELF CHKED THE MAINT LOGBOOK TO DISCOVER THAT THE ANTISKID WAS ON AN MEL #32-4. MEL 32-4 WAS ALSO LISTED ON THE ACFT DEP PAPERWORK (FLT PLAN, ETC). AFTER TURNING DIRECTLY TO THE PAGE NUMBER LISTED IN THE MEL, THE MEL ADVISED TO CALL FLT OPS TO DETERMINE THE TKOF PENALTY THAT WAS LISTED IN THE AFM APPENDIX #2, WHICH IS ONLY KEPT IN FLT OPS. THE FLC HAS NO ACCESS TO THIS INFO. THE PERSON IN FLT OPS WAS NOT SURE HOW TO PROPERLY CONSULT THE MANUAL, SO I CALLED OUR CERTIFIED DISPATCHING SVC XXX TO GET THE INFO. XXX TWICE TOLD ME THERE WAS NO PENALTY FOR THE MD80. NOT BELIEVING THIS, I HAD THEM FAX ME PERFORMANCE INFO FOR ANTISKID INOP. WHAT I RECEIVED WAS LNDG DATA ONLY. I AGAIN CALLED XXX TO CLARIFY THAT I NEEDED TKOF PERFORMANCE AND AGAIN WAS TOLD 'NO PENALTY.' I THEN CONSULTED THE ABNORMAL SECTION TO FIND THAT THERE WERE ONLY PROCS TO CORRECT 'ANTISKID LIGHT ILLUMINATED' -- NO REF TO PERFORMANCE. I THEN LOOKED AT THE LIMITATIONS SECTION TO FIND IT SAID TO CONSULT THE MEL. THE LIMITATIONS STATED THIS FOR THE DC9 AS WELL AS MD80. HAVING SAID ALL OF THIS, I ELECTED TO TAKE THE FLT ZZZ2 AND ON TO ZZZ WITH THE BLESSINGS OF XXX AND MY OWN FLT OPS. UPON ARR AT ZZZ, I WAS INFORMED THAT YOU CANNOT DISPATCH IN THE MD80 WITH THE ANTISKID INOP. THERE WAS APPARENTLY AN OVERSIGHT WHEN OUR MANUALS WERE BEING WRITTEN AND AN ASSUMPTION THAT IF THE DC9 CAN DISPATCH, SO CAN THE MD80. WHEN YOU TURN TO THE PAGE NUMBER LISTED ON THE MEL, THE PROC STATED IS NOT ACFT SPECIFIC. THERE IS ONLY 1 PROC STATED, AND IT DOES NOT SPECIFY FOR WHAT SERIES ACFT. I HAVE ALSO ENCLOSED MY FO'S RPT. THIS KIND OF SIT WHERE EVERYONE (FLT OPS, DISPATCH, MAINT CTL) SAY YOU'RE GOOD TO GO THEN TO FIND OUT YOU'RE NOT AFTER THE FACT REALLY SETS UP THE FLC FOR A VIOLATION BEYOND THEIR CTL -- ESPECIALLY SINCE THE FLC DOES NOT HAVE PHYSICAL ACCESS TO PERTINENT INFO THAT IS NEEDED. IN THIS SIT, THE FLC HAS TO RELY ON WHAT IS BEING TOLD TO THEM, AND CONSIDER THE INFO AS CORRECT (EVEN THOUGH IT MAY NOT BE).

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.