B737-300 crew did not insure an MEL item was added to the dispatch release.

Attributes
ACN	493690
Time
Date	200012
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : elp.airport
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	ground : pushback
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 13000
ASRS Report	493690
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : company policies
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

On pushback from el paso, the #2 engine did not start when I raised the start lever. We did the checklist and checked that the circuit breakers were in. We then flipped the #2 ignition to the right ignitor and the engine started normally. Before taking off, we checked the MEL to confirm we were legal to continue. However, prior to takeoff, I should have contacted dispatch and gotten an amended release. I did not. I forgot. When we reached our cruising altitude, I notified dispatch of the inoperative ignitor and made a write-up in the logbook. My error was following an old procedure and not the new one which requires you to contact dispatch if any problem occurs prior to takeoff.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-300 CREW DID NOT INSURE AN MEL ITEM WAS ADDED TO THE DISPATCH RELEASE.

Narrative: ON PUSHBACK FROM EL PASO, THE #2 ENG DID NOT START WHEN I RAISED THE START LEVER. WE DID THE CHKLIST AND CHKED THAT THE CIRCUIT BREAKERS WERE IN. WE THEN FLIPPED THE #2 IGNITION TO THE R IGNITOR AND THE ENG STARTED NORMALLY. BEFORE TAKING OFF, WE CHKED THE MEL TO CONFIRM WE WERE LEGAL TO CONTINUE. HOWEVER, PRIOR TO TKOF, I SHOULD HAVE CONTACTED DISPATCH AND GOTTEN AN AMENDED RELEASE. I DID NOT. I FORGOT. WHEN WE REACHED OUR CRUISING ALT, I NOTIFIED DISPATCH OF THE INOP IGNITOR AND MADE A WRITE-UP IN THE LOGBOOK. MY ERROR WAS FOLLOWING AN OLD PROC AND NOT THE NEW ONE WHICH REQUIRES YOU TO CONTACT DISPATCH IF ANY PROB OCCURS PRIOR TO TKOF.

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.