A B757 flight crew rushed and departed with an MEL item that was not cleared at mia.

Attributes
ACN	454398
Time
Date	199911
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mia.airport
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : mia.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	ground : takeoff roll
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 3500
ASRS Report	454398
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : multi engine pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 6700 flight time type : 2800
ASRS Report	454399
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe maintenance problem : non compliance with mel non adherence : company policies non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other other : 3
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Factors
Maintenance	performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Company
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

XA25Z, mia. MEL item exterior emergency exit light inoperative was not cleared by mia maintenance prior to dispatch to ord. As the flight called for a night landing in ord we were in violation of the MEL. I had noticed the note on the release but after several gate changes and a very late departure, I became involved in another maintenance problem with my microphone and never made sure the exit light item was cleared. Distrs with gate changes, late departure and other maintenance items caused me to miss an important item in the logbook.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B757 FLC RUSHED AND DEPARTED WITH AN MEL ITEM THAT WAS NOT CLRED AT MIA.

Narrative: XA25Z, MIA. MEL ITEM EXTERIOR EMER EXIT LIGHT INOP WAS NOT CLRED BY MIA MAINT PRIOR TO DISPATCH TO ORD. AS THE FLT CALLED FOR A NIGHT LNDG IN ORD WE WERE IN VIOLATION OF THE MEL. I HAD NOTICED THE NOTE ON THE RELEASE BUT AFTER SEVERAL GATE CHANGES AND A VERY LATE DEP, I BECAME INVOLVED IN ANOTHER MAINT PROB WITH MY MIKE AND NEVER MADE SURE THE EXIT LIGHT ITEM WAS CLRED. DISTRS WITH GATE CHANGES, LATE DEP AND OTHER MAINT ITEMS CAUSED ME TO MISS AN IMPORTANT ITEM IN THE LOGBOOK.

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.