Narrative:

Rejected takeoff. After pushing from the gate and performing the pre takeoff checklist, the leading edge flap in-transit light was illuminated along with the overhead indication for the #1 leading edge flap not extended. The captain called and asked dispatch to be connected with maintenance control. The dispatcher asked what the problem was. The captain described the problem and the indications we were getting and asked if we needed to pull back into the gate to get the problem fixed, or if we could get a verbal deferment and release. The dispatcher gave us a deferment with a time and his initials. We proceeded to the runway for takeoff. Upon advancing the thrust levers for takeoff, the takeoff warning horn sounded. We immediately aborted the takeoff and exited the runway at the first turnoff. We then proceeded back to the gate. After talking to maintenance as they fixed the improper indication at the gate, we later learned that while it is permissible to defer a leading edge slat not extended indication, it is not permissible to defer a leading edge flap not extended indication. If we were not already late, I believe that we would have taken the time to verify that we could in fact MEL the leading edge flap indication in the opc. I know I will take the time to do that the next time anyone verbally defers an item on an aircraft I am operating.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-200. ACR DISPATCHER ISSUED A VERBAL OK FOR A DEFERRAL OF A MALFUNCTIONING LEADING EDGE FLAP INDICATION IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH THE MEL.

Narrative: REJECTED TKOF. AFTER PUSHING FROM THE GATE AND PERFORMING THE PRE TKOF CHKLIST, THE LEADING EDGE FLAP IN-TRANSIT LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED ALONG WITH THE OVERHEAD INDICATION FOR THE #1 LEADING EDGE FLAP NOT EXTENDED. THE CAPT CALLED AND ASKED DISPATCH TO BE CONNECTED WITH MAINT CTL. THE DISPATCHER ASKED WHAT THE PROB WAS. THE CAPT DESCRIBED THE PROB AND THE INDICATIONS WE WERE GETTING AND ASKED IF WE NEEDED TO PULL BACK INTO THE GATE TO GET THE PROB FIXED, OR IF WE COULD GET A VERBAL DEFERMENT AND RELEASE. THE DISPATCHER GAVE US A DEFERMENT WITH A TIME AND HIS INITIALS. WE PROCEEDED TO THE RWY FOR TKOF. UPON ADVANCING THE THRUST LEVERS FOR TKOF, THE TKOF WARNING HORN SOUNDED. WE IMMEDIATELY ABORTED THE TKOF AND EXITED THE RWY AT THE FIRST TURNOFF. WE THEN PROCEEDED BACK TO THE GATE. AFTER TALKING TO MAINT AS THEY FIXED THE IMPROPER INDICATION AT THE GATE, WE LATER LEARNED THAT WHILE IT IS PERMISSIBLE TO DEFER A LEADING EDGE SLAT NOT EXTENDED INDICATION, IT IS NOT PERMISSIBLE TO DEFER A LEADING EDGE FLAP NOT EXTENDED INDICATION. IF WE WERE NOT ALREADY LATE, I BELIEVE THAT WE WOULD HAVE TAKEN THE TIME TO VERIFY THAT WE COULD IN FACT MEL THE LEADING EDGE FLAP INDICATION IN THE OPC. I KNOW I WILL TAKE THE TIME TO DO THAT THE NEXT TIME ANYONE VERBALLY DEFERS AN ITEM ON AN ACFT I AM OPERATING.

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.