Narrative:

We were dispatched with an MEL that contained #4 symmetrical spoiler surfaces inoperative; retracted. Pushback and #2 engine start normal. After second engine start; we received a 'F/control splr fault ECAM' as should be expected with the MEL. We 'emergency canceled' to prevent further ECAM's. During climb; one of the aft flight attendants called to tell us that a passenger told her that there was a problem with one of the spoilers. We told her that we did indeed have spoilers that were deferred inoperative and left it at that. The conversation ate at me; and so I called her back 1 min later and asked her if the passenger told her that the spoiler was not working in the up position when the others were up; or if he said the spoiler was in the up position with others down. She told me that the others were down and one up. I asked the first officer to go back and look at the spoilers. He confirmed that both #4 spoilers were floating up approximately 1 ft each. There was a very light vibration similar to a landing light extended. I called dispatch and maintenance and advised them of our situation and that our fuel burn was still in line with normal parameters and that there had been no adverse flight control problems. We concluded that we continue on to phx and have maintenance meet the aircraft. The mechanic found that both spoiler actuators were in the 'M' position instead of the 'O' position. This required them to restore the system to the operative condition and operate the spoilers several times to extract any air that may have migrated in; and then accomplish the entire deferral procedure again.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A320 FLT CREW HAS IMPROPER MEL PROCS PERFORMED FOR THE SPOILER INOP SYS.

Narrative: WE WERE DISPATCHED WITH AN MEL THAT CONTAINED #4 SYMMETRICAL SPOILER SURFACES INOP; RETRACTED. PUSHBACK AND #2 ENG START NORMAL. AFTER SECOND ENG START; WE RECEIVED A 'F/CTL SPLR FAULT ECAM' AS SHOULD BE EXPECTED WITH THE MEL. WE 'EMER CANCELED' TO PREVENT FURTHER ECAM'S. DURING CLB; ONE OF THE AFT FLT ATTENDANTS CALLED TO TELL US THAT A PAX TOLD HER THAT THERE WAS A PROB WITH ONE OF THE SPOILERS. WE TOLD HER THAT WE DID INDEED HAVE SPOILERS THAT WERE DEFERRED INOP AND LEFT IT AT THAT. THE CONVERSATION ATE AT ME; AND SO I CALLED HER BACK 1 MIN LATER AND ASKED HER IF THE PAX TOLD HER THAT THE SPOILER WAS NOT WORKING IN THE UP POS WHEN THE OTHERS WERE UP; OR IF HE SAID THE SPOILER WAS IN THE UP POS WITH OTHERS DOWN. SHE TOLD ME THAT THE OTHERS WERE DOWN AND ONE UP. I ASKED THE FO TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT THE SPOILERS. HE CONFIRMED THAT BOTH #4 SPOILERS WERE FLOATING UP APPROX 1 FT EACH. THERE WAS A VERY LIGHT VIBRATION SIMILAR TO A LNDG LIGHT EXTENDED. I CALLED DISPATCH AND MAINT AND ADVISED THEM OF OUR SITUATION AND THAT OUR FUEL BURN WAS STILL IN LINE WITH NORMAL PARAMETERS AND THAT THERE HAD BEEN NO ADVERSE FLT CTL PROBS. WE CONCLUDED THAT WE CONTINUE ON TO PHX AND HAVE MAINT MEET THE ACFT. THE MECH FOUND THAT BOTH SPOILER ACTUATORS WERE IN THE 'M' POS INSTEAD OF THE 'O' POS. THIS REQUIRED THEM TO RESTORE THE SYS TO THE OPERATIVE CONDITION AND OPERATE THE SPOILERS SEVERAL TIMES TO EXTRACT ANY AIR THAT MAY HAVE MIGRATED IN; AND THEN ACCOMPLISH THE ENTIRE DEFERRAL PROC AGAIN.

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.