Air carrier dispatcher is concerned the entire leading edge flap system was MEL'ed inoperative.

Attributes
ACN	567463
Time
Date	200212
Day	Mon
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : parked ground : takeoff roll
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel
Qualification	other
ASRS Report	567463
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe maintenance problem : improper documentation maintenance problem : non compliance with mel other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : 1
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted other
Consequence	other
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : schedule pressure performance deficiency : logbook entry performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Company Maintenance Human Performance
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

Prior to departure, the kruger flaps on this aircraft had been placarded inoperative. All the restrs were applied per the MEL and the flight departed. While en route, the captain contacted dispatch and said that he suspected that 1 of the krugers had deployed. I patched the crew with maintenance center. The crew elected to continue to sju. I later discovered that the problem with the aircraft was with the kruger indication system, but a previous dispatcher had turned down the aircraft in that condition, because he could not comply with MEL 27-11. The aircraft was taken OTS at that instant, and was not able to be repaired due to lack of parts. The aircraft was returned to service using MEL 27-10, restricting the entire kruger flaps system. Is it proper to placard an entire system in order to avoid the restr associated with placarding on component?

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR DISPATCHER IS CONCERNED THE ENTIRE LEADING EDGE FLAP SYS WAS MEL'ED INOP.

Narrative: PRIOR TO DEP, THE KRUGER FLAPS ON THIS ACFT HAD BEEN PLACARDED INOP. ALL THE RESTRS WERE APPLIED PER THE MEL AND THE FLT DEPARTED. WHILE ENRTE, THE CAPT CONTACTED DISPATCH AND SAID THAT HE SUSPECTED THAT 1 OF THE KRUGERS HAD DEPLOYED. I PATCHED THE CREW WITH MAINT CTR. THE CREW ELECTED TO CONTINUE TO SJU. I LATER DISCOVERED THAT THE PROB WITH THE ACFT WAS WITH THE KRUGER INDICATION SYS, BUT A PREVIOUS DISPATCHER HAD TURNED DOWN THE ACFT IN THAT CONDITION, BECAUSE HE COULD NOT COMPLY WITH MEL 27-11. THE ACFT WAS TAKEN OTS AT THAT INSTANT, AND WAS NOT ABLE TO BE REPAIRED DUE TO LACK OF PARTS. THE ACFT WAS RETURNED TO SVC USING MEL 27-10, RESTRICTING THE ENTIRE KRUGER FLAPS SYS. IS IT PROPER TO PLACARD AN ENTIRE SYS IN ORDER TO AVOID THE RESTR ASSOCIATED WITH PLACARDING ON COMPONENT?

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.