A CL65 WAS DISPATCHED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH L AND R ENGS 'A' IGNITION SYS DEFERRED AS INOP IN CONFLICT WITH THE MEL.

Narrative

DURING THE NIGHT OF NOV/SAT/01; I ATTEMPTED TO START THE #2 ENG DURING OUR PUSHBACK BUT NOTICED THAT IT FAILED TO START. AFTER ABORTING THE START; IT BECAME APPARENT THAT THE IGNITION SYS WAS ON BUT NOT ARMED. I THEN STARTED THE #1 ENG WITH THE SAME IGNITION SYS AND IT TOO FAILED TO START. AT THIS POINT; I SWITCHED THE IGNITION SYS FROM 'A' TO 'B' AND STARTED BOTH ENGS WITHOUT INCIDENT. AFTER OUR PUSHBACK WAS COMPLETED; THE CAPT CONTACTED OUR MAINT CTLR TO ADVISE THEM OF THE SIT. WITHOUT ANY TROUBLESHOOTING THE MAINT CTLR DECIDED TO DEFER IGNITION SYS A. THE CAPT INFORMED THEM THAT BOTH ENG STARTS WERE ATTEMPTED USING SYS 'A' FIRST AND THE ACTUAL STARTING ACCOMPLISHED USING SYS 'B'. AFTER THE DEFERRAL WAS COMPLETE; WE MADE AN UNEVENTFUL FLT TO AN OVERNIGHT STATION. THE NEXT MORNING THE CAPT DOUBLE-CHKED THE DEFERRAL WITH THE MEL AND CONFERRED WITH ME. APPARENTLY; THE MEL REQUIRES THAT AT LEAST ONE 'A SYS MUST BE OP' FOR THE AIRPLANE TO BE DISPATCHED. I'M NOT SURE IF THE MAINT CTLR INCORRECTLY READ THE MEL OR THOUGHT ONLY ONE PART OF THE 'A' SYS WAS INOP. BUT SINCE BOTH ENG STARTS WERE ATTEMPTED WITH SYS 'A;' IT IS APPARENT THAT THE COMPLETE IGNITION 'A' SYS WAS INOP. THIS WOULD SEEM TO VIOLATE THE MEL. WE DECIDED THE CAPT SHOULD CALL THE MAINT CTLR TO CHK IF THIS WAS CORRECT. AS THE CAPT WAS GETTING OUT HIS SEAT HE THOUGHT HE WOULD LOOK FOR THE IGNITION SYS CIRCUIT BREAKER. UPON FINDING THE CIRCUIT BREAKER HE NOTICED THAT; IN FACT; THE BREAKER HAD TRIPPED. AFTER RESETTING THE BREAKER HE THEN TESTED IGNITION SYS 'A' AND FOUND THAT IT WORKED PROPERLY. AFTER TALKING WITH MAINT; IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE IGNITION SYS WAS OPERATIVE AND THEY WOULD CLR THE DEFERRAL.