A B727-200 WAS DISPATCHED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH THE AFT AIRSTAIRS DEFERRED AS INOP WITH BROKEN CTL CABLES IN CONFLICT WITH THE MEL.

Narrative

ACR ACFT XYZ; A B727-200; WAS AT GATE XA IN ZZZ AND WOULD CONTINUE ON TO YYY. WHILE DOING A TRANSIT CHK; RED TAPE WAS FOUND ON THE EXTERIOR AIRSTAIR CTL ACCESS DOOR AND CTL HANDLE. THE ACR MAINT CTL OFFICE INFORMED US THE AIRSTAIRS WERE INOP DUE TO A BROKEN CABLE TO THE CTL HANDLE AND DEFERRED PER THE B727 MEL. THE MAINT CTL OFFICE TOLD US TO CLOSE THE STAIRS. THE CTL HANDLE WAS INOP. I WENT INTO THE STAIRWELL AND ACTIVATED THE STAIR CTL VALVE WITH THE BROKEN CABLE TO CLOSE THE STAIRS. THE STAIRS RAISED UP AND ENGAGED THE UPLOCK MECHANISM. I VISUALLY CHKED THE UPLOCK ROLLERS TO MAKE SURE THEY WERE PROPERLY ENGAGED WITH THE UPLOCK MECHANISM. THE MECHS OUTSIDE TOLD ME THE STAIRS WERE FAIRED WITH THE FUSELAGE. I EXITED THE ACFT THROUGH THE CABIN. WHEN ACFT LANDED IN YYY; THE AIRSTAIRS DEPLOYED AND WERE DAMAGED. WHEN I WAS INFORMED THE NEXT DAY THAT THE STAIRS DEPLOYED AFTER LNDG; I WAS SHOCKED. I DO NOT KNOW WHAT MADE THE STAIRS UNLOCK. WE SHOULD HAVE TAKEN EXTRA TIME TO MAKE SURE THE STAIRS WERE DEFERRED PROPERLY PER THE B727 MEL. THE MEL SAYS THE STAIRS MAY BE INOP HYDRAULICALLY; IT DOES NOT REF BROKEN CTL CABLES.