Narrative:

Aircraft had a maintenance call for the captain oxygen mask compartment flap cover broken. I was instructed to assist in obtaining an MEL or deferral for the item. For 30 mins there was a discussion between maintenance control; lead technician; and myself whether the oxygen compartment flap cover being broken can be MEL'ed under X. Maintenance control went ahead and gave MEL X and Y. We swapped the captain and observer seat oxygen mask and compartment and MEL'ed observer seat in conjunction with MEL X. When the MEL was being cleared; maintenance noticed that MEL X should not have been issued against the oxygen compartment as the MEL only calls for the oxygen mask and being that the compartment considered as a separate item. The captain and observer oxygen masks and compartment were then swapped back to original position and the broken compartment replaced clearing the MEL. MEL X calls for oxygen mask observer; looking at the item both oxygen mask and compartment can be construed or mistaken as a single unit; an assembly with both oxygen mask and compartment. I made the mistake of assuming the oxygen compartment was part of the oxygen mask itself. The MEL could be clarified with adding a few more descriptions as to what is or what is not part of the oxygen mask. Better communications between departments and maintenance technicians more aware of task being performed. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated he and others realized later they could have just made a time deferral maintenance write-up for the captain's oxygen mask compartment door only and not have to even consider a MEL issue for the mask.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MECHANIC DESCRIBES HOW A CRJ700 BROKEN CAPTAIN'S OXYGEN MASK COMPARTMENT FLAP COVER WAS DEFERRED UNDER MEL FOR THE OXYGEN MASK ONLY.

Narrative: ACFT HAD A MAINT CALL FOR THE CAPT OXYGEN MASK COMPARTMENT FLAP COVER BROKEN. I WAS INSTRUCTED TO ASSIST IN OBTAINING AN MEL OR DEFERRAL FOR THE ITEM. FOR 30 MINS THERE WAS A DISCUSSION BTWN MAINT CTL; LEAD TECHNICIAN; AND MYSELF WHETHER THE OXYGEN COMPARTMENT FLAP COVER BEING BROKEN CAN BE MEL'ED UNDER X. MAINT CTL WENT AHEAD AND GAVE MEL X AND Y. WE SWAPPED THE CAPT AND OBSERVER SEAT OXYGEN MASK AND COMPARTMENT AND MEL'ED OBSERVER SEAT IN CONJUNCTION WITH MEL X. WHEN THE MEL WAS BEING CLRED; MAINT NOTICED THAT MEL X SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ISSUED AGAINST THE OXYGEN COMPARTMENT AS THE MEL ONLY CALLS FOR THE OXYGEN MASK AND BEING THAT THE COMPARTMENT CONSIDERED AS A SEPARATE ITEM. THE CAPT AND OBSERVER OXYGEN MASKS AND COMPARTMENT WERE THEN SWAPPED BACK TO ORIGINAL POS AND THE BROKEN COMPARTMENT REPLACED CLRING THE MEL. MEL X CALLS FOR OXYGEN MASK OBSERVER; LOOKING AT THE ITEM BOTH OXYGEN MASK AND COMPARTMENT CAN BE CONSTRUED OR MISTAKEN AS A SINGLE UNIT; AN ASSEMBLY WITH BOTH OXYGEN MASK AND COMPARTMENT. I MADE THE MISTAKE OF ASSUMING THE OXYGEN COMPARTMENT WAS PART OF THE OXYGEN MASK ITSELF. THE MEL COULD BE CLARIFIED WITH ADDING A FEW MORE DESCRIPTIONS AS TO WHAT IS OR WHAT IS NOT PART OF THE OXYGEN MASK. BETTER COMS BTWN DEPTS AND MAINT TECHNICIANS MORE AWARE OF TASK BEING PERFORMED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: REPORTER STATED HE AND OTHERS REALIZED LATER THEY COULD HAVE JUST MADE A TIME DEFERRAL MAINT WRITE-UP FOR THE CAPTAIN'S OXYGEN MASK COMPARTMENT DOOR ONLY AND NOT HAVE TO EVEN CONSIDER A MEL ISSUE FOR THE MASK.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.