Large Transport; Low Wing; 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument
Communication Breakdown; Troubleshooting
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural MEL / CDL; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Maintenance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
General Maintenance Action; General Release Refused / Aircraft Not Accepted
MEL; Aircraft; Procedure
At push-back time realized Captain headset transmit jack (not part of headset; but jack in sidewall) was INOP. Airplane had overnighted and previous crew had written up 'Captain headset microphone jack is loose and intermittent operation'. Upon arrival to aircraft; I noticed Maintenance was working on the flight deck in the headset jack area. I called Dispatch and Maintenance Control to report the INOP sidewall transmit jack. I expressed my concern that I thought Maintenance would attempt to MEL defective jack under MEL XX-XXX; and that I felt that that MEL was applicable to the headset not the jack; and that it would not be a legal MEL. Dispatcher agreed. Maintenance Control stated that line Maintenance would be coming out to plane to address the issue. I called Dispatch back when line Maintenance arrived and Dispatch stated that he (Dispatcher) and Maintenance Control agreed that it not being fixed was a no go item. I called Dispatcher and he conferenced in Duty Pilot. I explained that I thought line Maintenance would still try to MEL it under XX-XXX; and that I felt that was not a legal MEL and if they did do it that way I would not accept the airplane. In fact; Line Maintenance did MEL It under XX-XXX. I called Dispatch and Duty Pilot back; made mention of Line Maintenance applying that MEL; that I would not accept an illegal MEL (one that doesn't apply). Dispatcher agreed. Duty pilot said OK. Line Maintenance failure; especially on an overnight airplane; to properly fix [an] item. More disturbing is [the] Line Maintenance applying the MEL item; that I and Dispatcher and Maintenance Control; felt clearly was not an appropriate MEL. Unacceptable. Maintenance should have fixed the problem when initially reported and not stretch an MEL to get an airplane out. Unacceptable; illegal; unsafe.
A321 Captain reported incorrect MEL applied by maintenance resulted in corrective action and aircraft refusal.