Caravan 208B
Flight Crew Commercial; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine
Time Pressure; Situational Awareness; Communication Breakdown; Training / Qualification; Troubleshooting
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural MEL / CDL; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Maintenance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
General Maintenance Action; General Flight Cancelled / Delayed
Aircraft; Logbook Entry; MEL; Procedure
During preflight discovered TKS [de-ice] fluid was below minimum quantity required for dispatch. Checked deferrals and saw a deferral for the TKS system. Deferral was completed on DATE and due DATE1. However; the deferral listed restrictions were present. I checked the MEL for the deferral and it said that the affected equipment was not installed. I was unsure if this was a valid deferral and contacted our director of operations for clarification. Due to the early operating hours; there wasn't an immediate reply. I decided that the weather conditions present and forecast at the departure and destination and enroute structures would not require use of the TKS system for inflight icing. The weather was reported clear skies. After landing; I had received word from Operations that a contracted maintenance person was instructed by our Maintenance to defer the item. Our Maintenance was not aware that our MEL had the item listed as 'not installed'. Operations instructed me to stay parked while he worked with the FAA for immediate remedial action for the discrepancy in the MEL. I informed the director of operations that I had already completed the revenue flight for the morning and will stay parked until I hear back from him.
Pilot reported differences in MEL procedures listed for a TKS deicing system that was not installed on the aircraft.