Narrative:

En route from nashville, tn to lexington, ky, the single red line computer on the right engine of the small transport became inoperative. Flight was continued with the src selected 'off' and maintenance control was notified at our destination. An MEL was issued to allow the flight to return to nashville, our next scheduled stop. The only restrictions to flight listed on the MEL was alcohol/water boost could not be used for takeoff and proper charts must be on board for manual operation. The afm, however, stated that the aircraft could only be flown one leg and then the srl computer must be repaired prior to further flight. I advised maintenance control that the plane would be grounded upon my return to nashville, my next stop and a company maintenance base, until it was repaired. At nashville the srl was determined to be inoperative and parts to repair were allegedly unavailable. I refused to take the aircraft citing the afm as controling. Although a captain, I've been with the company for less than 1 yr, so am still on probation. Also, our company was just acquired by the parent company 3 weeks earlier and I was tdy in nashville. My base is rdu. The general operating manual was new to everyone including the MEL. After 1/2 hour delay caused by my refusal to fly, my resolve was weakened and I said I would defer to the chief pilot. Surprisingly he supported the maintenance department position and having my bluff called I accepted the aircraft for 2 more legs. On my return to nashville that same sun evening 2 hours later, the parts to repair mysteriously appeared. 2 days later this chief pilot called me at home and apologized for his wrong decision and said the MEL would be rewritten to reflect the safety but this situation was a legal decision. It has been a week since the event and I still am uncomfortable with the pressure applied on me to take that flight. Although my original decision was vindicated, I am disappointed in my own lack of resolve to stand by it.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT WITH MINIMUM EQUIPMENT LIST ITEM OPEN FLEW MORE THAN 1 LEG PERMITTED BY MINIMUM EQUIPMENT LIST.

Narrative: ENRTE FROM NASHVILLE, TN TO LEXINGTON, KY, THE SINGLE RED LINE COMPUTER ON THE RIGHT ENG OF THE SMT BECAME INOP. FLT WAS CONTINUED WITH THE SRC SELECTED 'OFF' AND MAINT CTL WAS NOTIFIED AT OUR DEST. AN MEL WAS ISSUED TO ALLOW THE FLT TO RETURN TO NASHVILLE, OUR NEXT SCHEDULED STOP. THE ONLY RESTRICTIONS TO FLT LISTED ON THE MEL WAS ALCOHOL/WATER BOOST COULD NOT BE USED FOR TKOF AND PROPER CHARTS MUST BE ON BOARD FOR MANUAL OPERATION. THE AFM, HOWEVER, STATED THAT THE ACFT COULD ONLY BE FLOWN ONE LEG AND THEN THE SRL COMPUTER MUST BE REPAIRED PRIOR TO FURTHER FLT. I ADVISED MAINT CTL THAT THE PLANE WOULD BE GNDED UPON MY RETURN TO NASHVILLE, MY NEXT STOP AND A COMPANY MAINT BASE, UNTIL IT WAS REPAIRED. AT NASHVILLE THE SRL WAS DETERMINED TO BE INOP AND PARTS TO REPAIR WERE ALLEGEDLY UNAVAILABLE. I REFUSED TO TAKE THE ACFT CITING THE AFM AS CTLING. ALTHOUGH A CAPT, I'VE BEEN WITH THE COMPANY FOR LESS THAN 1 YR, SO AM STILL ON PROBATION. ALSO, OUR COMPANY WAS JUST ACQUIRED BY THE PARENT COMPANY 3 WKS EARLIER AND I WAS TDY IN NASHVILLE. MY BASE IS RDU. THE GENERAL OPERATING MANUAL WAS NEW TO EVERYONE INCLUDING THE MEL. AFTER 1/2 HR DELAY CAUSED BY MY REFUSAL TO FLY, MY RESOLVE WAS WEAKENED AND I SAID I WOULD DEFER TO THE CHIEF PLT. SURPRISINGLY HE SUPPORTED THE MAINT DEPT POS AND HAVING MY BLUFF CALLED I ACCEPTED THE ACFT FOR 2 MORE LEGS. ON MY RETURN TO NASHVILLE THAT SAME SUN EVENING 2 HRS LATER, THE PARTS TO REPAIR MYSTERIOUSLY APPEARED. 2 DAYS LATER THIS CHIEF PLT CALLED ME AT HOME AND APOLOGIZED FOR HIS WRONG DECISION AND SAID THE MEL WOULD BE REWRITTEN TO REFLECT THE SAFETY BUT THIS SITUATION WAS A LEGAL DECISION. IT HAS BEEN A WK SINCE THE EVENT AND I STILL AM UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THE PRESSURE APPLIED ON ME TO TAKE THAT FLT. ALTHOUGH MY ORIGINAL DECISION WAS VINDICATED, I AM DISAPPOINTED IN MY OWN LACK OF RESOLVE TO STAND BY IT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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.