A B757-200 was dispatched overwater in non compliance with the right eec inoperative and deferred.

Attributes
ACN	598342
Time
Date	200310
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
ASRS Report	598342
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : relief pilot
ASRS Report	598340
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : non compliance with mel non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : eec other flight crewa other flight crewb other other : person 3
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other other Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Chart Or Publication Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Situations
Publication	Minimum Equip List

Narrative:

During taxi before takeoff, the left eec light illuminated with associated EICAS message. The captain and I complied with the procedure and turned off both eec's. As I monitored tower frequency, the captain, relief pilot, and I consulted the MEL. MEL 73-1A gave the captain 1 of 2 options: to continue the flight, and he elected that option. We placarded the eec according to company procedures. Despite the provision in that MEL that no prior notification to dispatch was required, the captain chose to inform dispatch as an added precaution. Through ZZZ operations we passed a message to dispatch with the details of the captain's decision. The message passed back to us from dispatch through ZZZ operations was that the dispatcher agreed with the captain's decision and that, although the dispatcher appreciated the message, there was no requirement to have notified dispatch. We proceeded to ZZZ1 without incident. Once at ZZZ1, operations informed us that maintenance had decided that the return flight would be canceled and that we would ferry the airplane back to ZZZ under far part 91.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B757-200 WAS DISPATCHED OVERWATER IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH THE R EEC INOP AND DEFERRED.

Narrative: DURING TAXI BEFORE TKOF, THE L EEC LIGHT ILLUMINATED WITH ASSOCIATED EICAS MESSAGE. THE CAPT AND I COMPLIED WITH THE PROC AND TURNED OFF BOTH EEC'S. AS I MONITORED TWR FREQ, THE CAPT, RELIEF PLT, AND I CONSULTED THE MEL. MEL 73-1A GAVE THE CAPT 1 OF 2 OPTIONS: TO CONTINUE THE FLT, AND HE ELECTED THAT OPTION. WE PLACARDED THE EEC ACCORDING TO COMPANY PROCS. DESPITE THE PROVISION IN THAT MEL THAT NO PRIOR NOTIFICATION TO DISPATCH WAS REQUIRED, THE CAPT CHOSE TO INFORM DISPATCH AS AN ADDED PRECAUTION. THROUGH ZZZ OPS WE PASSED A MESSAGE TO DISPATCH WITH THE DETAILS OF THE CAPT'S DECISION. THE MESSAGE PASSED BACK TO US FROM DISPATCH THROUGH ZZZ OPS WAS THAT THE DISPATCHER AGREED WITH THE CAPT'S DECISION AND THAT, ALTHOUGH THE DISPATCHER APPRECIATED THE MESSAGE, THERE WAS NO REQUIREMENT TO HAVE NOTIFIED DISPATCH. WE PROCEEDED TO ZZZ1 WITHOUT INCIDENT. ONCE AT ZZZ1, OPS INFORMED US THAT MAINT HAD DECIDED THAT THE RETURN FLT WOULD BE CANCELED AND THAT WE WOULD FERRY THE AIRPLANE BACK TO ZZZ UNDER FAR PART 91.

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.