Narrative:

I am a B737 technical analyst for air carrier. Our offices are at ZZZ XXX airport in the wv bldg. I was contacted by the flight crew of flight xyz abq-elp on the evening of apr/xa/00 at approximately XA45 to advise me that they had a left wingtip aft (white) position light inoperative, and would like a flight crew placard issued. There are several items in the MEL that do not require a mechanic to dispatch, and routine light bulbs are one of them. I noted that we were not carrying any other mco's on lights, so I issued the mco under MEL 33-00-11A and dispatched the flight. Later in the evening, as I was reviewing my shift contact sheet, it occurred to me that I had used the incorrect MEL reference. MEL 33-00-11A does not allow for any of the aft white position lights to be inoperative for night operation. I immediately changed the restr, and notified the dispatcher to amend the flight plan for the morning flight out of elp. MEL 33-00-11B allows for any of the position lights inoperative, but for daylight only. I ensured that the bulb would be replaced at maintenance station before dusk.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-300 WAS DISPATCHED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH THE L WINGTIP WHITE NAV LIGHT INOP IN HRS OF DARKNESS.

Narrative: I AM A B737 TECHNICAL ANALYST FOR ACR. OUR OFFICES ARE AT ZZZ XXX ARPT IN THE WV BLDG. I WAS CONTACTED BY THE FLC OF FLT XYZ ABQ-ELP ON THE EVENING OF APR/XA/00 AT APPROX XA45 TO ADVISE ME THAT THEY HAD A L WINGTIP AFT (WHITE) POS LIGHT INOP, AND WOULD LIKE A FLC PLACARD ISSUED. THERE ARE SEVERAL ITEMS IN THE MEL THAT DO NOT REQUIRE A MECH TO DISPATCH, AND ROUTINE LIGHT BULBS ARE ONE OF THEM. I NOTED THAT WE WERE NOT CARRYING ANY OTHER MCO'S ON LIGHTS, SO I ISSUED THE MCO UNDER MEL 33-00-11A AND DISPATCHED THE FLT. LATER IN THE EVENING, AS I WAS REVIEWING MY SHIFT CONTACT SHEET, IT OCCURRED TO ME THAT I HAD USED THE INCORRECT MEL REF. MEL 33-00-11A DOES NOT ALLOW FOR ANY OF THE AFT WHITE POS LIGHTS TO BE INOP FOR NIGHT OP. I IMMEDIATELY CHANGED THE RESTR, AND NOTIFIED THE DISPATCHER TO AMEND THE FLT PLAN FOR THE MORNING FLT OUT OF ELP. MEL 33-00-11B ALLOWS FOR ANY OF THE POS LIGHTS INOP, BUT FOR DAYLIGHT ONLY. I ENSURED THAT THE BULB WOULD BE REPLACED AT MAINT STATION BEFORE DUSK.

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.