Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine
Communication Breakdown; Time Pressure
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural MEL / CDL; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Maintenance
Flight Crew FLC Overrode Automation; General Flight Cancelled / Delayed; General Maintenance Action
MEL; Manuals; Human Factors; Aircraft; Procedure
I was the SIC for Flight ABCD ZZZ-ZZZ1 in Aircraft X. We may have had a non-conforming deferral of a piece of equipment.While preparing for departure; I found the clear plastic block which covers the light bulb in the microphone selector switch for the left VHF radio; missing on the FO's audio selector panel (ASP). There was no DMI sticker on the ASP; nor was there a DMI listed on the flight release or inside the front cover of the current aircraft logbook (new logbook format). We called the local Maintenance Personnel up to the cockpit and requested that they swap the FO's ASP with the Observer's ASP; which they did; and then attempted to defer the Observer's ASP under the Center VHF Comm system (MEL item 23-XX-XX-XX); since there is no relief for the ASP in either the company MEL nor in the Master MEL. After speaking with Maintenance Control about the deferral; Maintenance informed us that the First Officer ASP's left VHF microphone selector switch was already deferred under a NEF deferral (MEL 25-XX-XX-XX via DMI#; I don't remember which); but was not recorded in our current logbook; nor listed on our flight release. Apparently there were several flights prior to ours with the deferral in place but not listed in the logbook. The Captain then telephoned Flight Following to amend our flight release to add the DMI. Maintenance also informed us that they would have to swap the First Officer and Observer ASPs back to their original positions; which they did. We initially balked at this; since I would then have to push on the light bulb in the left VHF microphone selector switch to use the ASP (talking to ATC prior to departure and after landing). We were assured by Maintenance that Maintenance Control said it was a valid deferral; and we could use the ASP. The ASPs were swapped back to their original locations and our logbook write-up regarding the First Officer's ASP left VHF microphone selector switch missing the plastic cover was marked out as 'entered in error.' We accepted the 'original' deferral and continued our departure preparations trying to depart on time.Even with the time spent on this whole process we would have departed on-time; but were delayed when upon performing the Preflight checklist I found that the window lock handle for my window would not remain in the 'locked' position. The window was completely closed in compliance with the Preflight checklist; and the aft lower arm on the window was perpendicular to the window as required; along with the 'LOCKED' indication displayed on the window lock indicator above the window. However; the window lock handle itself would not remain in what was originally the forward 'detent' in the locked position. The forward lock detent itself was removed to enable the opening of the First Officer's window from outside the aircraft since the R1 door was deactivated in the freighter modification. Usually with this situation; even though there is no longer a lock detent to retain the handle in the 'locked': position; when the handle is moved into the 'locked' position; it remains there. In this case it didn't; and hung down below the 'locked': position by approximately 1/8 of an inch. We had Maintenance come back up to look at this; and they determined that the window was fully closed and the handle position was acceptable; so we departed; but were now five minutes late.Once enroute with the departure time pressure no longer a factor; the Captain reviewed the DMI log in the prior logbook and found the DMI which Maintenance Control had referenced; and realized that Maintenance had not carried it forward into the new logbook; even though they had remarked to Maintenance Control that it wasn't in our logbook. At that point we agreed that we needed to file an ASAP report on the situation.After blocking in uneventfully in ZZZ1; we began to discuss the situation further and questioned how Maintenance could defer a microphone selector switch on a piece of required equipment (i.e. the ASP). Upon reviewing the NEF manual; we found no NEF item which matched the deferral we had; and believe it may have been a non-conforming deferral. For ease of the ERC's reference; cockpit related NEF items (N-77 through N-109) are listed on NEF Manual pages NEF-20 and NEF-21.Ultimately; we should have taken the delay in ZZZ; reviewed the NEF Manual prior to departure; and verified that everything was correct; including the transfer of the NEF deferral from the prior logbook to the new logbook. Since this is an 'after action review'; I'm not sure we would have been able to depart had we done this; but at least it would have been completely hashed out before we flew.Suggestions: One thing which might help preclude issues like this from occurring in the future would be to include the NEF item number in the remarks section of the NEF deferral; i.e. DMI; M25-XX-XX-XX; NEF N-86; HGS quilted cover missing.
Upon arrival to the aircraft; we noticed the FO (First Officer) Audio Panel was missing the button cover for the left radio. We called maintenance and the mechanics told us the button cover was there when the aircraft arrived; therefore it must be on the floor somewhere. When we could not find it; the mechanics decided to swap the FO's audio panel for the center audio panel on the accessory panel. After doing so and then calling Maintenance Control; they were told that the FO's audio panel was already deferred and that to swap the two would result in more paperwork. I made clear that a deferred FO's Audio Panel was not acceptable but they told me it was already deferred. After consulting with Maintenance Control; they told me that the situation with the audio panel button was already known and that it was deferred under an MEF. The mechanics then put the center and FO audio panels back in their original positions and concluded the paperwork. During flight; I discovered the DMI under which the FO's audio panel was deferred was not in the current logbook. I went back into the previous logbook and found it there and that it had not been brought forward. Furthermore; the aircraft had flown like this for several flights. Later; we looked through the deferral listing in the MEL/CDL/NEF manual under Deferral number 25-XX-XX-XX and could not find this piece of equipment listed; leading to the possibility of an improper deferral. We were told; however; that upon landing; maintenance was scheduled to replace one of the audio panels. We closed the door approximately 4 minutes prior to our scheduled departure time; however the FO then discovered his window handle would not remain in the forward position. Rather than stay in the forward 'closed' position; it kept falling loosely out of place. We had the mechanics come back on board to address this. They managed to get the handle to remain in the forward position and we pushed back after this; resulting in a 5 minute delay of departure (arrival time in ZZZ1 was still early). Upon arrival in ZZZ1; we showed the mechanic the function of the FO's window close handle and he stated that it was more loose than it should be and told me to write it up in the logbook; which I did.Suggestions: This entire scenario could have been avoided with a proper deferral being properly made aware to the flight crew. As it went; much confusion was created as a result of a deferral being absent from the logbook; and further confusion as to what exactly was deferred and if it was properly deferred. This caused us to compress our pre-flight actions as time went on and when a final maintenance issue needed to be addressed; it resulted in a delay of departure. Attention to detail by all parties needs to be better adhered to.
Flight Crew reported an MEL applied at a previous station was incorrectly applied and the aircraft flew in revenue service.