Narrative:

I discovered a trailing edge light on the right wing was inoperative on preflight. Checking the MEL, I mistakenly determined the aircraft was ok to fly night without it. I looked under an MEL item for the wrong ship number. Because the MEL item I looked at did not require dispatcher approval, we placarded it ourselves. Extenuating circumstances: my lack of experience. This is my first rotation after completing new hire training and IOE. We, as a crew, were dealing with 3 other minor maintenance irregularities which were resolved.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B727 ACR FLC DISCOVER THAT A TRAILING EDGE WINGTIP LIGHT (WHITE) IS INOP AND DECIDE TO DEPART ANYWAY AFTER MISREADING THE MEL. THE DEP WAS BEFORE OFFICIAL SUNRISE.

Narrative: I DISCOVERED A TRAILING EDGE LIGHT ON THE R WING WAS INOP ON PREFLT. CHKING THE MEL, I MISTAKENLY DETERMINED THE ACFT WAS OK TO FLY NIGHT WITHOUT IT. I LOOKED UNDER AN MEL ITEM FOR THE WRONG SHIP NUMBER. BECAUSE THE MEL ITEM I LOOKED AT DID NOT REQUIRE DISPATCHER APPROVAL, WE PLACARDED IT OURSELVES. EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES: MY LACK OF EXPERIENCE. THIS IS MY FIRST ROTATION AFTER COMPLETING NEW HIRE TRAINING AND IOE. WE, AS A CREW, WERE DEALING WITH 3 OTHER MINOR MAINT IRREGULARITIES WHICH WERE RESOLVED.

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.