EMB145 captain entered an MEL in error.

Attributes
ACN	690774
Time
Date	200602
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dfw.airport
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl single value : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : d10.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	EMB ERJ 145 ER&LR
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	690774
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe maintenance problem : improper documentation non adherence : company policies
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

It is my understanding that the MEL I entered after flight on saturday was entered in error. The previous MEL 31-? Stated that the anti-ice system was to be operated in the manual mode if icing conditions were encountered. We did momentarily enter trace icing on descent on the way back from hou and the 'ice condition/no anti-ice' message flashed momentarily. When the message also appeared on the ground and there were no icing conditions; I wrote up the discrepancy forgetting that there was a previous MEL. I spoke with a domicile assistant cp mins after this happened and tried to void the entry to correct the error but by the time I returned to the gate (maybe 15 mins) the next flight had already been canceled.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EMB145 CAPT ENTERED AN MEL IN ERROR.

Narrative: IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE MEL I ENTERED AFTER FLT ON SATURDAY WAS ENTERED IN ERROR. THE PREVIOUS MEL 31-? STATED THAT THE ANTI-ICE SYS WAS TO BE OPERATED IN THE MANUAL MODE IF ICING CONDITIONS WERE ENCOUNTERED. WE DID MOMENTARILY ENTER TRACE ICING ON DSCNT ON THE WAY BACK FROM HOU AND THE 'ICE CONDITION/NO ANTI-ICE' MESSAGE FLASHED MOMENTARILY. WHEN THE MESSAGE ALSO APPEARED ON THE GND AND THERE WERE NO ICING CONDITIONS; I WROTE UP THE DISCREPANCY FORGETTING THAT THERE WAS A PREVIOUS MEL. I SPOKE WITH A DOMICILE ASSISTANT CP MINS AFTER THIS HAPPENED AND TRIED TO VOID THE ENTRY TO CORRECT THE ERROR BUT BY THE TIME I RETURNED TO THE GATE (MAYBE 15 MINS) THE NEXT FLT HAD ALREADY BEEN CANCELED.

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.