Narrative:

While waiting for pushback from the gate at ZZZ at XA40L; we (the crew) decided to take one more look at the MEL listed for our jet. The release and aircraft forms/logbook listed MEL for lavatory inoperative. According to the prior crew; and the original logbook write-up; the lavatory door was jammed. The lavatory had been MEL'ed for this jammed door. Upon our second examination of the MEL book; we noticed that the MEL did not seem to fit the actual situation. The situation was a jammed door; but the MEL required that maintenance collar the flush motor circuit breaker; check for blue juice leaks; etc. We noticed that the circuit breaker had not been collared. To us; it seemed like the wrong MEL had been applied; and that this MEL had not been complied with. We then did a call to dispatch/maintenance and were told by maintenance that this was the only MEL that could be used to make the lavatory OTS; and that compliance with the MEL (circuit breaker and etc) was not required because the situation was merely for a jammed door; not any problem with the lavatory. Because it appeared to us that maintenance already knew of this apparent disconnect; we accepted their explanation; and flew the jet; even though the MEL had not technically been complied with.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN EMB135 WAS DISPATCHED WITH A LAVATORY INOP PER THE MEL. FLT CREW QUESTIONED THE DEFERRED ITEM WHEN LEARNING THE PROB WAS ONLY A JAMMED LAVATORY DOOR.

Narrative: WHILE WAITING FOR PUSHBACK FROM THE GATE AT ZZZ AT XA40L; WE (THE CREW) DECIDED TO TAKE ONE MORE LOOK AT THE MEL LISTED FOR OUR JET. THE RELEASE AND ACFT FORMS/LOGBOOK LISTED MEL FOR LAVATORY INOP. ACCORDING TO THE PRIOR CREW; AND THE ORIGINAL LOGBOOK WRITE-UP; THE LAVATORY DOOR WAS JAMMED. THE LAVATORY HAD BEEN MEL'ED FOR THIS JAMMED DOOR. UPON OUR SECOND EXAM OF THE MEL BOOK; WE NOTICED THAT THE MEL DID NOT SEEM TO FIT THE ACTUAL SITUATION. THE SITUATION WAS A JAMMED DOOR; BUT THE MEL REQUIRED THAT MAINT COLLAR THE FLUSH MOTOR CB; CHK FOR BLUE JUICE LEAKS; ETC. WE NOTICED THAT THE CB HAD NOT BEEN COLLARED. TO US; IT SEEMED LIKE THE WRONG MEL HAD BEEN APPLIED; AND THAT THIS MEL HAD NOT BEEN COMPLIED WITH. WE THEN DID A CALL TO DISPATCH/MAINT AND WERE TOLD BY MAINT THAT THIS WAS THE ONLY MEL THAT COULD BE USED TO MAKE THE LAVATORY OTS; AND THAT COMPLIANCE WITH THE MEL (CB AND ETC) WAS NOT REQUIRED BECAUSE THE SITUATION WAS MERELY FOR A JAMMED DOOR; NOT ANY PROB WITH THE LAVATORY. BECAUSE IT APPEARED TO US THAT MAINT ALREADY KNEW OF THIS APPARENT DISCONNECT; WE ACCEPTED THEIR EXPLANATION; AND FLEW THE JET; EVEN THOUGH THE MEL HAD NOT TECHNICALLY BEEN COMPLIED WITH.

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.