2000-05 · NASA ASRS report 474143
A BE1900 WAS DISPATCHED ON A MAINT FERRY IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH 1 INVERTER DEFERRED PER THE MEL AS INOP BUT FLT WAS OPERATED WITH IFR FLT PLAN IN CONFLICT WITH MEL REQUIREMENT DAY VFR ONLY.
ON FINAL TO XNA (AN INTERMEDIATE STOP) WE HAD A SINGLE INVERTER FAILURE. WE COMPLETED THE PROPER EMER PROC FOR THAT FAILURE AND LANDED. WE LET ALL OF THE PAX OFF THE PLANE UNTIL WE KNEW FOR SURE WHAT WE WERE GOING TO DO. THE CAPT CALLED MAINT AND DISPATCH. A DECISION WAS MADE TO REPOS THE AIRPLANE TO MCI. THE CAPT TOLD ME THAT WE WOULD FLY TO MCI EMPTY; DURING DAYLIGHT IN VMC UNDER PART FAR 91. HE THEN TOLD ME THE MEL NUMBER FOR OUR PROB. THE CAPT STRESSED THAT WE NEEDED TO LEAVE ASAP IN ORDER TO ARRIVE AT MCI DURING DAYLIGHT HRS. I HELPED UNLOAD THE BAGGAGE AND PERSONAL ITEMS LEFT ON THE PLANE. THE CAPT AND I DEPARTED IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE AIRPLANE WAS UNLOADED WITHOUT ANY PAX OR CARGO AND WITH A NEW RELEASE STATING THE MEL ITEM. WE FLEW ON THE IFR FLT PLAN THAT DISPATCH HAD FILED FOR US IN VMC. WE ARRIVED AT MCI DURING DAYLIGHT AND UNDER VMC CONDITIONS. THE ACFT HAS 2 INVERTERS. THE MEL ALLOWS 1 INVERTER TO BE DEFERRED FOR DISPATCH PROVIDED THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS ARE COMPLIED WITH: THE FLT IS UNDER DAY VFR WITH NO PAX OR CARGO. THE CAPT CAME UP TO ME LATER STATING HE HAD MISINTERPED THE DEFINITIONS OF VMC AND VFR IN THE MEL. THE CAPT THOUGHT THE 2 HAD THE SAME MEANING. WE SHOULD NOT HAVE ACCEPTED THE IFR CLRNC AND INSTEAD FILED A VFR FLT PLAN.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.
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