Narrative:

We had a 2 hour delay due to a disagreement between ZZZ maintenance and ZZZ1 technical service and myself. The automatic speed brakes were written up on a previous flight as not deploying after main wheel spin-up. This was a repeat write-up. ZZZ maintenance deferred this item under MEL 27-12 per the maintenance procedures manual procedure. This procedure requires them to pull and collar the circuit breaker on the 'G' panel in the 'F' series aircraft. When they pulled the circuit breaker on the panel, they got the associated upper amber EICAS message automatic speed brakes. The MEL 27-12 has no 'note to flight crew' regarding any EICAS message as in MEL 27-17. After discussions with both base manager ZZZ and chief pilot ZZZ, both advised me to enter the item into the logbook and, if maintenance signed off the book, to take the aircraft. ZZZ maintenance supervisor met me at gate xx and said the aircraft had been signed off and returned to service. He also said that it was normal for the aircraft to operate with the EICAS message displayed when the circuit breaker has been pulled. After discussions with air carrier fleet manager, my suspicions were confirmed that we should have not operated the aircraft since having the EICAS message without any supporting documentation would be in violation of our operating manuals. It would appear as if everyone was correct to some point and the real error was in the fact that our MEL was incorrect. The MEL 27-12 should have contained the 1 more line in 27-12A note to flight crew -- upper EICAS message will appear. This would have prevented a delay and confusion in the heat of the battle of trying to depart ZZZ.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B757-200 WAS DISPATCHED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH THE AUTO SPD BRAKES DEFERRED AS INOP PER THE MEL. MEL DID NOT ADDRESS EICAS WARNING.

Narrative: WE HAD A 2 HR DELAY DUE TO A DISAGREEMENT BTWN ZZZ MAINT AND ZZZ1 TECHNICAL SVC AND MYSELF. THE AUTO SPD BRAKES WERE WRITTEN UP ON A PREVIOUS FLT AS NOT DEPLOYING AFTER MAIN WHEEL SPIN-UP. THIS WAS A REPEAT WRITE-UP. ZZZ MAINT DEFERRED THIS ITEM UNDER MEL 27-12 PER THE MAINT PROCS MANUAL PROC. THIS PROC REQUIRES THEM TO PULL AND COLLAR THE CIRCUIT BREAKER ON THE 'G' PANEL IN THE 'F' SERIES ACFT. WHEN THEY PULLED THE CIRCUIT BREAKER ON THE PANEL, THEY GOT THE ASSOCIATED UPPER AMBER EICAS MESSAGE AUTO SPD BRAKES. THE MEL 27-12 HAS NO 'NOTE TO FLT CREW' REGARDING ANY EICAS MESSAGE AS IN MEL 27-17. AFTER DISCUSSIONS WITH BOTH BASE MGR ZZZ AND CHIEF PLT ZZZ, BOTH ADVISED ME TO ENTER THE ITEM INTO THE LOGBOOK AND, IF MAINT SIGNED OFF THE BOOK, TO TAKE THE ACFT. ZZZ MAINT SUPVR MET ME AT GATE XX AND SAID THE ACFT HAD BEEN SIGNED OFF AND RETURNED TO SVC. HE ALSO SAID THAT IT WAS NORMAL FOR THE ACFT TO OPERATE WITH THE EICAS MESSAGE DISPLAYED WHEN THE CIRCUIT BREAKER HAS BEEN PULLED. AFTER DISCUSSIONS WITH ACR FLEET MGR, MY SUSPICIONS WERE CONFIRMED THAT WE SHOULD HAVE NOT OPERATED THE ACFT SINCE HAVING THE EICAS MESSAGE WITHOUT ANY SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION WOULD BE IN VIOLATION OF OUR OPERATING MANUALS. IT WOULD APPEAR AS IF EVERYONE WAS CORRECT TO SOME POINT AND THE REAL ERROR WAS IN THE FACT THAT OUR MEL WAS INCORRECT. THE MEL 27-12 SHOULD HAVE CONTAINED THE 1 MORE LINE IN 27-12A NOTE TO FLT CREW -- UPPER EICAS MESSAGE WILL APPEAR. THIS WOULD HAVE PREVENTED A DELAY AND CONFUSION IN THE HEAT OF THE BATTLE OF TRYING TO DEPART ZZZ.

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.