Narrative:

Captain of aircraft X called from the gate at ZZZ1 amd reported the WX radar was stuck in the test mode. I had him cycle the WX rad right unit circuit breaker; but no help. He also said predictive windshear was inoperative; GPWS was inoperative and the terrain override inoperative light was illuminated. So I made 3 log items and deferred them using what I felt at the time was the correct MEL's. When the aircraft arrived in ZZZ2; the new captain asked some questions to the controller that was on. He then notified me that there might be some errors in what I did. So I took a second look at the appropriateness of those MEL's. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated much discussion followed between himself; the other maintenance controller and the downline captain as to the appropriateness of the MEL deferrals reporter had made earlier. Reporter stated all the log items were deferrable; but the lack of knowledge of what really drives predictive windshear and the interrelationship of GPWS; terrain override and weather radar; made all of them realize the difficulty in using the proper MEL deferral procedures. As a result; reporter stated he realized he did not apply the correct MEL procedures to the deferrals and maintenance release; and corrected the MEL reference for the log items he had deferred earlier.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-500 MAINT CONTROLLER DEFERS THE WEATHER RADAR STUCK IN TEST MODE; PREDICTIVE WINDSHEAR INOP; GPWS INOP AND THE TERRAIN OVERRIDE INOP LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. DOWNLINE CAPTAIN QUESTIONS MEL PROCEDURES USED.

Narrative: CAPT OF ACFT X CALLED FROM THE GATE AT ZZZ1 AMD RPTED THE WX RADAR WAS STUCK IN THE TEST MODE. I HAD HIM CYCLE THE WX RAD R UNIT CIRCUIT BREAKER; BUT NO HELP. HE ALSO SAID PREDICTIVE WINDSHEAR WAS INOP; GPWS WAS INOP AND THE TERRAIN OVERRIDE INOP LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. SO I MADE 3 LOG ITEMS AND DEFERRED THEM USING WHAT I FELT AT THE TIME WAS THE CORRECT MEL'S. WHEN THE ACFT ARRIVED IN ZZZ2; THE NEW CAPT ASKED SOME QUESTIONS TO THE CTLR THAT WAS ON. HE THEN NOTIFIED ME THAT THERE MIGHT BE SOME ERRORS IN WHAT I DID. SO I TOOK A SECOND LOOK AT THE APPROPRIATENESS OF THOSE MEL'S. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: REPORTER STATED MUCH DISCUSSION FOLLOWED BETWEEN HIMSELF; THE OTHER MAINT CONTROLLER AND THE DOWNLINE CAPTAIN AS TO THE APPROPRIATENESS OF THE MEL DEFERRALS REPORTER HAD MADE EARLIER. REPORTER STATED ALL THE LOG ITEMS WERE DEFERRABLE; BUT THE LACK OF KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT REALLY DRIVES PREDICTIVE WINDSHEAR AND THE INTERRELATIONSHIP OF GPWS; TERRAIN OVERRIDE AND WEATHER RADAR; MADE ALL OF THEM REALIZE THE DIFFICULTY IN USING THE PROPER MEL DEFERRAL PROCEDURES. AS A RESULT; REPORTER STATED HE REALIZED HE DID NOT APPLY THE CORRECT MEL PROCEDURES TO THE DEFERRALS AND MAINT RELEASE; AND CORRECTED THE MEL REFERENCE FOR THE LOG ITEMS HE HAD DEFERRED EARLIER.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.