A B737-200 was dispatched in non compliance with the #2 engine start valve light inoperative and deferred in conflict with the MEL.

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Attributes
ACN	493626
Time
Date	200011
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : parked ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	oversight : supervisor
Qualification	technician : airframe technician : powerplant
Experience	maintenance lead technician : 2 maintenance supervisor : 1 maintenance technician : 15
ASRS Report	493626
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : improper maintenance maintenance problem : non compliance with mel non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other other
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : schedule pressure contributing factor : manuals performance deficiency : installation performance deficiency : repair
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft FAA Flight Crew Human Performance Maintenance Human Performance
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

I am a B737 maintenance coordinator for air carrier in ZZZ. Us. On nov/xa/00 I received a radio call from flight abc, aircraft xyz. Pilot reported #2 engine start valve light never illuminated on engine start. I asked him if the engine start valve closed, and told him he could determine this by the sudden rise in pneumatic duct pressure. He stated 'yes' and he wanted to continue to WWW airport without delay. I told him to leave it as an open log entry and I would notify WWW maintenance. I shipped a start valve to WWW on flight XXX the same day. I asked WWW maintenance to replace the start valve. They responded that they wanted to defer the item under MEL 80-00-03A. I told them that I did not think the MEL was applicable. I now know that they spoke with the local FAA representative who thought the MEL was applicable to the start valve light. The aircraft departed WWW airport with the start valve light on deferral. I had the start valve replaced in zxy, us, off flight cbc the same day.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-200 WAS DISPATCHED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH THE #2 ENG START VALVE LIGHT INOP AND DEFERRED IN CONFLICT WITH THE MEL.

Narrative: I AM A B737 MAINT COORDINATOR FOR ACR IN ZZZ. US. ON NOV/XA/00 I RECEIVED A RADIO CALL FROM FLT ABC, ACFT XYZ. PLT RPTED #2 ENG START VALVE LIGHT NEVER ILLUMINATED ON ENG START. I ASKED HIM IF THE ENG START VALVE CLOSED, AND TOLD HIM HE COULD DETERMINE THIS BY THE SUDDEN RISE IN PNEUMATIC DUCT PRESSURE. HE STATED 'YES' AND HE WANTED TO CONTINUE TO WWW ARPT WITHOUT DELAY. I TOLD HIM TO LEAVE IT AS AN OPEN LOG ENTRY AND I WOULD NOTIFY WWW MAINT. I SHIPPED A START VALVE TO WWW ON FLT XXX THE SAME DAY. I ASKED WWW MAINT TO REPLACE THE START VALVE. THEY RESPONDED THAT THEY WANTED TO DEFER THE ITEM UNDER MEL 80-00-03A. I TOLD THEM THAT I DID NOT THINK THE MEL WAS APPLICABLE. I NOW KNOW THAT THEY SPOKE WITH THE LCL FAA REPRESENTATIVE WHO THOUGHT THE MEL WAS APPLICABLE TO THE START VALVE LIGHT. THE ACFT DEPARTED WWW ARPT WITH THE START VALVE LIGHT ON DEFERRAL. I HAD THE START VALVE REPLACED IN ZXY, US, OFF FLT CBC THE SAME DAY.

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.