Narrative:

I have once again experienced a serious problem with MEL cargo compartment lateral guides 1 or more inoperative. This was deferred on our flight and on my walkaround I asked the lead ramper if he was aware of the deferral. Again he said no. The deferral calls for specific loading (or lack of loading) of the pit near where the lateral guide is defective. Once I brought it to his attention; he did locate a reference to it on his paperwork but it was the generic deferral and did not give him specific information as to the location of the broken guide or the procedure to be used. This is a serious problem. It is my understanding that the reason for the actions relating to loading cargo are to prevent a cargo shift situation. Our procedures at company are not adequate! The people loading the airplane knew nothing of the procedures. They should be told specifically which container locations to keep empty. Zone control knew nothing of the deferral and they were supposed to have been informed. The rampers were going to load the forward pit in violation of the MEL when I first spoke to them. It is not feasible for flight crew members to check for compliance with the MEL. It just so happens that I am familiar with the MEL due to a previous report that I wrote regarding the issue. That report was closed and I was not satisfied with the findings. I complained that I; as a crew member; did not have adequate knowledge or reference material to comply with the MEL. Their answer was that an adequate knowledge of cargo procedure would allow the MEL to be interpreted properly. The ramp could not decipher it or interpretation it properly for the second time at a second station. I am serious about having this addressed or clarified. A hull loss or tail strike is definitely possible with a cargo shift and I am fearful that this procedure goes un-followed on a regular basis. This aircraft came in from amsterdam and I would bet the cargo was loaded improperly.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B767-300 FO ON WALKAROUND DISCOVERED THE RAMP CREW LOADING CARGO WAS UNAWARE OF A DEFERRED ITEM REQUIRING SPECIAL LOADING PROCS.

Narrative: I HAVE ONCE AGAIN EXPERIENCED A SERIOUS PROB WITH MEL CARGO COMPARTMENT LATERAL GUIDES 1 OR MORE INOP. THIS WAS DEFERRED ON OUR FLT AND ON MY WALKAROUND I ASKED THE LEAD RAMPER IF HE WAS AWARE OF THE DEFERRAL. AGAIN HE SAID NO. THE DEFERRAL CALLS FOR SPECIFIC LOADING (OR LACK OF LOADING) OF THE PIT NEAR WHERE THE LATERAL GUIDE IS DEFECTIVE. ONCE I BROUGHT IT TO HIS ATTN; HE DID LOCATE A REF TO IT ON HIS PAPERWORK BUT IT WAS THE GENERIC DEFERRAL AND DID NOT GIVE HIM SPECIFIC INFO AS TO THE LOCATION OF THE BROKEN GUIDE OR THE PROC TO BE USED. THIS IS A SERIOUS PROB. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE REASON FOR THE ACTIONS RELATING TO LOADING CARGO ARE TO PREVENT A CARGO SHIFT SIT. OUR PROCS AT COMPANY ARE NOT ADEQUATE! THE PEOPLE LOADING THE AIRPLANE KNEW NOTHING OF THE PROCS. THEY SHOULD BE TOLD SPECIFICALLY WHICH CONTAINER LOCATIONS TO KEEP EMPTY. ZONE CTL KNEW NOTHING OF THE DEFERRAL AND THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN INFORMED. THE RAMPERS WERE GOING TO LOAD THE FORWARD PIT IN VIOLATION OF THE MEL WHEN I FIRST SPOKE TO THEM. IT IS NOT FEASIBLE FOR FLT CREW MEMBERS TO CHK FOR COMPLIANCE WITH THE MEL. IT JUST SO HAPPENS THAT I AM FAMILIAR WITH THE MEL DUE TO A PREVIOUS RPT THAT I WROTE REGARDING THE ISSUE. THAT RPT WAS CLOSED AND I WAS NOT SATISFIED WITH THE FINDINGS. I COMPLAINED THAT I; AS A CREW MEMBER; DID NOT HAVE ADEQUATE KNOWLEDGE OR REF MATERIAL TO COMPLY WITH THE MEL. THEIR ANSWER WAS THAT AN ADEQUATE KNOWLEDGE OF CARGO PROC WOULD ALLOW THE MEL TO BE INTERPED PROPERLY. THE RAMP COULD NOT DECIPHER IT OR INTERP IT PROPERLY FOR THE SECOND TIME AT A SECOND STATION. I AM SERIOUS ABOUT HAVING THIS ADDRESSED OR CLARIFIED. A HULL LOSS OR TAIL STRIKE IS DEFINITELY POSSIBLE WITH A CARGO SHIFT AND I AM FEARFUL THAT THIS PROC GOES UN-FOLLOWED ON A REGULAR BASIS. THIS ACFT CAME IN FROM AMSTERDAM AND I WOULD BET THE CARGO WAS LOADED IMPROPERLY.

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.