Minimum equipment list requirement not complied with.

Attributes
ACN	98624
Time
Date	198811
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dfw
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1500 msl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dfw
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 4500 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	98624
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Shortly after takeoff in 11/88 I lost my automatic pressurization. My first officer and I ran it in manual according to the abnormals checklist. After we got everything under control I had him go to company frequency to ask what they wished us to do (continue or come back). Our maintenance supervisor stated that I should continue my flight and defer the automatic mode per standard practice 450 and the MEL. After I reached 10000' I got out both manuals and learned that the automatic mode could only be deferred if maintenance secured the electropneumatic outflow valves to the closed position. I called maintenance once again and was told to continue. I then read the MEL to them over the radio and was told to continue again. When I got to alexandria, la, I called maintenance over the phone and was told to just 'fudge a little, don't write it up and fly it back.' when I asked him what I was supposed to do if the FAA rode jump seat, his reply was 'they won't know the difference.' needless to say, I grounded the plane and a mechanic was then flown out to esf. In 11/88 I was called into the chief pilot's office because I cancelled a round trip. To this day, the pressurization automatic mode is still inoperative and has been deferred so planes could run on time during the holidays!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MINIMUM EQUIPMENT LIST REQUIREMENT NOT COMPLIED WITH.

Narrative: SHORTLY AFTER TKOF IN 11/88 I LOST MY AUTOMATIC PRESSURIZATION. MY F/O AND I RAN IT IN MANUAL ACCORDING TO THE ABNORMALS CHKLIST. AFTER WE GOT EVERYTHING UNDER CONTROL I HAD HIM GO TO COMPANY FREQ TO ASK WHAT THEY WISHED US TO DO (CONTINUE OR COME BACK). OUR MAINT SUPVR STATED THAT I SHOULD CONTINUE MY FLT AND DEFER THE AUTO MODE PER STANDARD PRACTICE 450 AND THE MEL. AFTER I REACHED 10000' I GOT OUT BOTH MANUALS AND LEARNED THAT THE AUTO MODE COULD ONLY BE DEFERRED IF MAINT SECURED THE ELECTROPNEUMATIC OUTFLOW VALVES TO THE CLOSED POSITION. I CALLED MAINT ONCE AGAIN AND WAS TOLD TO CONTINUE. I THEN READ THE MEL TO THEM OVER THE RADIO AND WAS TOLD TO CONTINUE AGAIN. WHEN I GOT TO ALEXANDRIA, LA, I CALLED MAINT OVER THE PHONE AND WAS TOLD TO JUST 'FUDGE A LITTLE, DON'T WRITE IT UP AND FLY IT BACK.' WHEN I ASKED HIM WHAT I WAS SUPPOSED TO DO IF THE FAA RODE JUMP SEAT, HIS REPLY WAS 'THEY WON'T KNOW THE DIFFERENCE.' NEEDLESS TO SAY, I GNDED THE PLANE AND A MECH WAS THEN FLOWN OUT TO ESF. IN 11/88 I WAS CALLED INTO THE CHIEF PLT'S OFFICE BECAUSE I CANCELLED A ROUND TRIP. TO THIS DAY, THE PRESSURIZATION AUTO MODE IS STILL INOP AND HAS BEEN DEFERRED SO PLANES COULD RUN ON TIME DURING THE HOLIDAYS!

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.