Narrative:

Holding short of runway for takeoff, the #2 engine generator tripped off line. The first officer completed the QRH items (the generator would not reset). APU was started and its generator was applied to the respective bus. Maintenance control was contacted and made aware of our situation and notified that we were still on the ground. Maintenance control gave us a control number for our deferral and stated it was 'ok to continue service.' our MEL on the aircraft was also consulted which state that 'once the aircraft leaves the gate it is considered dispatched and any item that becomes inoperative after that may be deferred, the aircraft does not have to return to the gate.' while airborne and completing the deferral paperwork in the aircraft logbook with use of our MEL, it was noticed that there is language in the MEL that states 'if any maintenance action is to be performed for that particular MEL after the aircraft leaves the gate, prior to takeoff, that the aircraft must return to the gate.' the maintenance actions were performed by contract maintenance at our destination. What we learned from this incident is to not take the word of maintenance when they state 'ok to continue service,' but to carefully read all of the stipulations contained in the MEL.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-300 WAS DISPATCHED IN NON COMPLIANCE AFTER RECEIVING A DEFERRAL FOR #2 GENERATOR FAILURE FROM MAINT. REQUIRED MEL SPECIAL PROCS NOT ACCOMPLISHED.

Narrative: HOLDING SHORT OF RWY FOR TKOF, THE #2 ENG GENERATOR TRIPPED OFF LINE. THE FO COMPLETED THE QRH ITEMS (THE GENERATOR WOULD NOT RESET). APU WAS STARTED AND ITS GENERATOR WAS APPLIED TO THE RESPECTIVE BUS. MAINT CTL WAS CONTACTED AND MADE AWARE OF OUR SIT AND NOTIFIED THAT WE WERE STILL ON THE GND. MAINT CTL GAVE US A CTL NUMBER FOR OUR DEFERRAL AND STATED IT WAS 'OK TO CONTINUE SVC.' OUR MEL ON THE ACFT WAS ALSO CONSULTED WHICH STATE THAT 'ONCE THE ACFT LEAVES THE GATE IT IS CONSIDERED DISPATCHED AND ANY ITEM THAT BECOMES INOP AFTER THAT MAY BE DEFERRED, THE ACFT DOES NOT HAVE TO RETURN TO THE GATE.' WHILE AIRBORNE AND COMPLETING THE DEFERRAL PAPERWORK IN THE ACFT LOGBOOK WITH USE OF OUR MEL, IT WAS NOTICED THAT THERE IS LANGUAGE IN THE MEL THAT STATES 'IF ANY MAINT ACTION IS TO BE PERFORMED FOR THAT PARTICULAR MEL AFTER THE ACFT LEAVES THE GATE, PRIOR TO TKOF, THAT THE ACFT MUST RETURN TO THE GATE.' THE MAINT ACTIONS WERE PERFORMED BY CONTRACT MAINT AT OUR DEST. WHAT WE LEARNED FROM THIS INCIDENT IS TO NOT TAKE THE WORD OF MAINT WHEN THEY STATE 'OK TO CONTINUE SVC,' BUT TO CAREFULLY READ ALL OF THE STIPULATIONS CONTAINED 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.