A Maintenance Manager reports he failed to notice that an incorrect MEL was applied to one of their CRJ-900 aircraft by a non-release qualified maintenance Controller. A flap fault MEL 27-51-5 was used instead of a flap half speed MEL 27-51-2 which was the pilot's write-up.

Narrative

An MEL was applied on a CRJ-900 aircraft March 2010. It was put on MEL for a flap fault 27-51-5 instead of flap (half) 1/2 speed MEL 27-51-2 which was the pilot write-up. Both MEL's do not require any maintenance procedures. The Controller that was working the CRJ desk was not qualified on the -900's and told me that that was the MEL we were using. I agreed and looked at the MEL and saw no MEL procedures and signed-off on it without looking any further.The next day we realized that the wrong MEL was placed on the aircraft and [we] were going to place the correct MEL on it in ZZZ with On-call Maintenance. Unfortunately the aircraft faulted the flaps in flight and did an emergency landing in ZZZ. I take full responsibility for not checking that the correct MEL was placed on this aircraft. An attempt was made to correct this next day and eventually fixed in ZZZ by replacing both [Flap] skew sensors. The plan was to set up to install the correct MEL in ZZZ; but the aircraft had failed in flight enroute to ZZZ; totally unrelated to the MEL's. Suggest that no unqualified personnel are to work the aircraft specific desks. Take time to check the MEL book and the discrepancy so the the correct MEL is placed for the correct fault.