Narrative:

During pushback and engine start at ZZZ; after accomplishing the engine start and after start checklist; we noticed the start valve open light on the #2 engine did not go out. After completing the QRH procedure for this condition we contacted maintenance control. Maintenance control instructed us to shut down the #2 engine and attempt a re-start. After re-starting the #2 engine the start valve open light remained on. Maintenance control advised us that this was an MEL item and that we could accomplish the flight crew placard procedure. We wrote the item up in the logbook and were told to enter 'released per MEL by company maintenance and the current zulu time.' we were also given an amended release by dispatch per MEL. Our takeoff was planned as a bleeds off due to the temperature at las (37C). We configured the bleeds and taxied for takeoff. Our takeoff was normal; on climb out when we re-established the engine bleeds we had a zero duct pressure indication from the #2 engine bleed. Having discovered this we concluded that we would have to run both packs from the #1 engine bleed and thus elected to fly at a lower altitude (FL240) as a precaution. We contacted dispatch and they agreed that our fuel was sufficient for the flight. Upon our arrival at ZZZ1 the line technician that met the aircraft pointed out that with the condition we had there was an additional MEL procedure that should have been accomplished before dispatching with the start valve open light on condition. At this time our flight day had ended and we handed the aircraft off to maintenance. We were completely under the impression that the information we received from maintenance control was accurate and complete before departure and therefore continued the flight to ZZZ1. Supplemental information from acn 705071: I received an ACARS from the flight stating that he was flying at FL240 due unable to pressurize right pack. I recalculated his flight plan to fly at this lower altitude and determined with the extra fuel on board that he could continue and land with more than 5.0 pounds. A very lengthy operations procedure that says 'do not dispatch into known or forecast conditions and for right engine bleed inoperative limit altitude to FL250.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-400 WAS DISPATCHED WITH THE #2 ENG START VALVE OPEN LIGHT ILLUMINATED. DEFERRED PER MEL BUT SPECIAL PROCS WERE NOT ACCOMPLISHED.

Narrative: DURING PUSHBACK AND ENG START AT ZZZ; AFTER ACCOMPLISHING THE ENG START AND AFTER START CHKLIST; WE NOTICED THE START VALVE OPEN LIGHT ON THE #2 ENG DID NOT GO OUT. AFTER COMPLETING THE QRH PROC FOR THIS CONDITION WE CONTACTED MAINT CTL. MAINT CTL INSTRUCTED US TO SHUT DOWN THE #2 ENG AND ATTEMPT A RE-START. AFTER RE-STARTING THE #2 ENG THE START VALVE OPEN LIGHT REMAINED ON. MAINT CTL ADVISED US THAT THIS WAS AN MEL ITEM AND THAT WE COULD ACCOMPLISH THE FLT CREW PLACARD PROC. WE WROTE THE ITEM UP IN THE LOGBOOK AND WERE TOLD TO ENTER 'RELEASED PER MEL BY COMPANY MAINT AND THE CURRENT ZULU TIME.' WE WERE ALSO GIVEN AN AMENDED RELEASE BY DISPATCH PER MEL. OUR TKOF WAS PLANNED AS A BLEEDS OFF DUE TO THE TEMP AT LAS (37C). WE CONFIGURED THE BLEEDS AND TAXIED FOR TKOF. OUR TKOF WAS NORMAL; ON CLBOUT WHEN WE RE-ESTABLISHED THE ENG BLEEDS WE HAD A ZERO DUCT PRESSURE INDICATION FROM THE #2 ENG BLEED. HAVING DISCOVERED THIS WE CONCLUDED THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO RUN BOTH PACKS FROM THE #1 ENG BLEED AND THUS ELECTED TO FLY AT A LOWER ALT (FL240) AS A PRECAUTION. WE CONTACTED DISPATCH AND THEY AGREED THAT OUR FUEL WAS SUFFICIENT FOR THE FLT. UPON OUR ARR AT ZZZ1 THE LINE TECHNICIAN THAT MET THE ACFT POINTED OUT THAT WITH THE CONDITION WE HAD THERE WAS AN ADDITIONAL MEL PROC THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN ACCOMPLISHED BEFORE DISPATCHING WITH THE START VALVE OPEN LIGHT ON CONDITION. AT THIS TIME OUR FLT DAY HAD ENDED AND WE HANDED THE ACFT OFF TO MAINT. WE WERE COMPLETELY UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT THE INFO WE RECEIVED FROM MAINT CTL WAS ACCURATE AND COMPLETE BEFORE DEP AND THEREFORE CONTINUED THE FLT TO ZZZ1. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 705071: I RECEIVED AN ACARS FROM THE FLT STATING THAT HE WAS FLYING AT FL240 DUE UNABLE TO PRESSURIZE R PACK. I RECALCULATED HIS FLT PLAN TO FLY AT THIS LOWER ALT AND DETERMINED WITH THE EXTRA FUEL ON BOARD THAT HE COULD CONTINUE AND LAND WITH MORE THAN 5.0 LBS. A VERY LENGTHY OPS PROC THAT SAYS 'DO NOT DISPATCH INTO KNOWN OR FORECAST CONDITIONS AND FOR R ENG BLEED INOP LIMIT ALT TO FL250.

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.