The reporter, a mechanic, via telephone erred in allowing boeing 727 to depart under MEL.

Attributes
ACN	318914
Time
Date	199510
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sea
State Reference	WA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
ASRS Report	318914
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Crew reported on aircraft nxx (B727) that the constant speed drive oil cooler switch would not lock in ground off position. They said they had to manually hold it in ground off for takeoff. Sea maintenance called me to defer #2 constant speed drive ejector valve inoperative. I thought this would take care of the problem so I let them defer it per MEL. I thought switch was ok when #2 was inoperative. After takeoff, realized problem was the switch and all 3 valves are affected. Flight crew was informed in-flight and first landing station (ord) item was corrected (replaced switch). Ord was next scheduled stop. I should have questioned sea maintenance further to be sure we both fully had the problem fully analyzed and correct.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: THE RPTR, A MECH, VIA TELEPHONE ERRED IN ALLOWING BOEING 727 TO DEPART UNDER MEL.

Narrative: CREW RPTED ON ACFT NXX (B727) THAT THE CONSTANT SPD DRIVE OIL COOLER SWITCH WOULD NOT LOCK IN GND OFF POS. THEY SAID THEY HAD TO MANUALLY HOLD IT IN GND OFF FOR TKOF. SEA MAINT CALLED ME TO DEFER #2 CONSTANT SPD DRIVE EJECTOR VALVE INOP. I THOUGHT THIS WOULD TAKE CARE OF THE PROB SO I LET THEM DEFER IT PER MEL. I THOUGHT SWITCH WAS OK WHEN #2 WAS INOP. AFTER TKOF, REALIZED PROB WAS THE SWITCH AND ALL 3 VALVES ARE AFFECTED. FLC WAS INFORMED INFLT AND FIRST LNDG STATION (ORD) ITEM WAS CORRECTED (REPLACED SWITCH). ORD WAS NEXT SCHEDULED STOP. I SHOULD HAVE QUESTIONED SEA MAINT FURTHER TO BE SURE WE BOTH FULLY HAD THE PROB FULLY ANALYZED AND CORRECT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.