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A B737-200 crew discovered a previous log writeup that was deferred. Item was #2 leading edge slat position light inoperative. Actual aircraft discrepancy was #2 flap indication inoperative. Not a deferrable item!
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 676458 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200510 |
| 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 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : zzz.tracon tower : lga.tower |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737-200 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : initial |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 1300 |
| ASRS Report | 676458 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : non compliance with mel non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : flap postition ind light other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | other |
| Factors | |
| Maintenance | performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements performance deficiency : fault isolation performance deficiency : logbook entry |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Aircraft Chart Or Publication Flight Crew Human Performance Maintenance Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
Arrived at aircraft and discovered prior crew had crew placarded the aircraft the night before as MEL 27-00-4C (leading edge slat indicators inoperative). Our MEL procedures for this require a visual check before takeoff and landing. Since MEL covered #2 slat; we confirmed it down prior to takeoff. The led transit lights (intermediate yellow) were in fact out (as is normal) at this time. After takeoff and flap retraction; both forward panel led indicator amber light and an overhead amber intermediate amber light remained on. This was expected from prior crew's write-up. Problem was that it wasn't the #2 slat that was giving an intermediate (unlocked) indication; but instead the #2 flap led. This can't be seen from the cockpit and it is not allowed to dispatch an aircraft with this malfunction. I reviewed the original write-up. Prior crew had written up '#2 led amber on overhead panel' but didn't indicate whether light was for slat or flap. Maintenance had assigned the code for slat to the MEL when in fact it was a flap problem.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A B737-200 CREW DISCOVERED A PREVIOUS LOG WRITEUP THAT WAS DEFERRED. ITEM WAS #2 LEADING EDGE SLAT POS LIGHT INOP. ACTUAL ACFT DISCREPANCY WAS #2 FLAP INDICATION INOP. NOT A DEFERRABLE ITEM!
Narrative: ARRIVED AT ACFT AND DISCOVERED PRIOR CREW HAD CREW PLACARDED THE ACFT THE NIGHT BEFORE AS MEL 27-00-4C (LEADING EDGE SLAT INDICATORS INOP). OUR MEL PROCS FOR THIS REQUIRE A VISUAL CHK BEFORE TKOF AND LNDG. SINCE MEL COVERED #2 SLAT; WE CONFIRMED IT DOWN PRIOR TO TKOF. THE LED TRANSIT LIGHTS (INTERMEDIATE YELLOW) WERE IN FACT OUT (AS IS NORMAL) AT THIS TIME. AFTER TKOF AND FLAP RETRACTION; BOTH FORWARD PANEL LED INDICATOR AMBER LIGHT AND AN OVERHEAD AMBER INTERMEDIATE AMBER LIGHT REMAINED ON. THIS WAS EXPECTED FROM PRIOR CREW'S WRITE-UP. PROB WAS THAT IT WASN'T THE #2 SLAT THAT WAS GIVING AN INTERMEDIATE (UNLOCKED) INDICATION; BUT INSTEAD THE #2 FLAP LED. THIS CAN'T BE SEEN FROM THE COCKPIT AND IT IS NOT ALLOWED TO DISPATCH AN ACFT WITH THIS MALFUNCTION. I REVIEWED THE ORIGINAL WRITE-UP. PRIOR CREW HAD WRITTEN UP '#2 LED AMBER ON OVERHEAD PANEL' BUT DIDN'T INDICATE WHETHER LIGHT WAS FOR SLAT OR FLAP. MAINT HAD ASSIGNED THE CODE FOR SLAT TO THE MEL WHEN IN FACT IT WAS A FLAP PROB.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.