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A B737-700 was dispatched in non compliance with 2 conflicting deferred items on the APU. One allowed operation, second did not.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 591808 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200308 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737-700 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | ground : parked |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 230 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 1300 |
| ASRS Report | 591808 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 145 flight time total : 10700 flight time type : 7700 |
| ASRS Report | 591805 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : non compliance with mel non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Consequence | other other |
| Factors | |
| Maintenance | contributing factor : manuals contributing factor : schedule pressure performance deficiency : logbook entry performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements performance deficiency : repair performance deficiency : fault isolation |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Maintenance Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft Chart Or Publication |
| Primary Problem | Chart Or Publication |
Narrative:
When I arrived at the aircraft, I noticed 2 different write-ups for the APU. After the captain arrived, I gave him the logbook. We realized that the 2 separate write-ups were very ambiguous. The first MEL had 2 parts attached to it. One did not allow us to use the APU at all. The second part did allow us to use the APU under certain conditions. The second MEL write-up was a result of someone attempting to start the APU despite the first write-up prohibiting it. Some of the MEL write-ups are too general, allowing for a wide spectrum of interps. Instead of MEL 49-1 as a whole, 49-1A and 49-1B would be better suited to correct the problem and avoid the confusion.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A B737-700 WAS DISPATCHED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH 2 CONFLICTING DEFERRED ITEMS ON THE APU. ONE ALLOWED OP, SECOND DID NOT.
Narrative: WHEN I ARRIVED AT THE ACFT, I NOTICED 2 DIFFERENT WRITE-UPS FOR THE APU. AFTER THE CAPT ARRIVED, I GAVE HIM THE LOGBOOK. WE REALIZED THAT THE 2 SEPARATE WRITE-UPS WERE VERY AMBIGUOUS. THE FIRST MEL HAD 2 PARTS ATTACHED TO IT. ONE DID NOT ALLOW US TO USE THE APU AT ALL. THE SECOND PART DID ALLOW US TO USE THE APU UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS. THE SECOND MEL WRITE-UP WAS A RESULT OF SOMEONE ATTEMPTING TO START THE APU DESPITE THE FIRST WRITE-UP PROHIBITING IT. SOME OF THE MEL WRITE-UPS ARE TOO GENERAL, ALLOWING FOR A WIDE SPECTRUM OF INTERPS. INSTEAD OF MEL 49-1 AS A WHOLE, 49-1A AND 49-1B WOULD BE BETTER SUITED TO CORRECT THE PROB AND AVOID THE CONFUSION.
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.