Narrative:

The morning in question was particularly busy and I answered a call for the -400/-500 desk on an engine fuel valve light problem. Talking with the maintenance person; he said what I understood as an engine valve closed light problem; and he had already checked with the MEL procedure to verify valve operation. I read back the procedure of the verified compliance. I issued MEL 73-10; special procedures; and tracking number. Some time later; I overheard the team lead and 4-5 controllers talking about the wrong MEL being issued. It should have been a 28-22 for a 'spar' valve closed light. The MEL was corrected at the next station; so the aircraft flew 1 leg with incorrect MEL. Getting involved in the middle of a deferral; I should have been more inquisitive in the nature of the problem; the mechanic should have realized the discrepancy did not match the deferral; and the flight crew should have definitely recognized the discrepancy long before flying 1/2 the leg to the next station.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-700. A MAINT CTLR DEFERRED AN ENG FUEL VALVE CLOSED POS LIGHT IN ERROR. ACTUAL VALVE INOP WAS A SPAR FUEL VALVE.

Narrative: THE MORNING IN QUESTION WAS PARTICULARLY BUSY AND I ANSWERED A CALL FOR THE -400/-500 DESK ON AN ENG FUEL VALVE LIGHT PROB. TALKING WITH THE MAINT PERSON; HE SAID WHAT I UNDERSTOOD AS AN ENG VALVE CLOSED LIGHT PROB; AND HE HAD ALREADY CHKED WITH THE MEL PROC TO VERIFY VALVE OP. I READ BACK THE PROC OF THE VERIFIED COMPLIANCE. I ISSUED MEL 73-10; SPECIAL PROCS; AND TRACKING NUMBER. SOME TIME LATER; I OVERHEARD THE TEAM LEAD AND 4-5 CTLRS TALKING ABOUT THE WRONG MEL BEING ISSUED. IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN A 28-22 FOR A 'SPAR' VALVE CLOSED LIGHT. THE MEL WAS CORRECTED AT THE NEXT STATION; SO THE ACFT FLEW 1 LEG WITH INCORRECT MEL. GETTING INVOLVED IN THE MIDDLE OF A DEFERRAL; I SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE INQUISITIVE IN THE NATURE OF THE PROB; THE MECH SHOULD HAVE REALIZED THE DISCREPANCY DID NOT MATCH THE DEFERRAL; AND THE FLT CREW SHOULD HAVE DEFINITELY RECOGNIZED THE DISCREPANCY LONG BEFORE FLYING 1/2 THE LEG TO THE NEXT STATION.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.