Evaluating liabilities
The Dutch report highlights the fact that problems with RA #1 were noted on two previous flights. Further, the report seems to imply that this information was apparently gleaned from FDR data rather than the aircraft's maintenance records which may indicate that previous problems with RA #1 may not have been written up in the maintenance log, and that no corrective maintenance action was undertaken nor MEL deferral made prior to the accident flight.
Can any current NG driver confirm the maintenance/deferral requirements under their MEL for a malfunctioning RA #1, with particular respect to continued use of the A/T system?
Regards
Edit: Northbeach, you beat me to it, sorry for the redundancy.