Air carrier light transport flew trip at night with the rear position light inoperative.

Attributes
ACN	96250
Time
Date	198810
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : abi
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 3500
ASRS Report	96250
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : ground
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

As we taxied from the terminal, abi ground notified us that our white light on the tail was inoperative. I consulted the MEL which stipulated that if the wing strobes were operative that you could have an inoperative anti-collision light beacon system. Upon landing at dfw, I reread the MEL and determined that I had misapplied the MEL and the system that was out was the position lights and the flight should not have been conducted. To further confuse the matter the position lights are labeled as navigation lights on the flight deck and in other publication on the aircraft. However there is no entry on the MEL referring to navigation lights at all. To avoid confusion, I feel that the wording and terminology should be standardized.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LTT FLEW TRIP AT NIGHT WITH THE REAR POSITION LIGHT INOPERATIVE.

Narrative: AS WE TAXIED FROM THE TERMINAL, ABI GND NOTIFIED US THAT OUR WHITE LIGHT ON THE TAIL WAS INOP. I CONSULTED THE MEL WHICH STIPULATED THAT IF THE WING STROBES WERE OPERATIVE THAT YOU COULD HAVE AN INOP ANTI-COLLISION LIGHT BEACON SYS. UPON LNDG AT DFW, I REREAD THE MEL AND DETERMINED THAT I HAD MISAPPLIED THE MEL AND THE SYS THAT WAS OUT WAS THE POS LIGHTS AND THE FLT SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN CONDUCTED. TO FURTHER CONFUSE THE MATTER THE POS LIGHTS ARE LABELED AS NAV LIGHTS ON THE FLT DECK AND IN OTHER PUBLICATION ON THE ACFT. HOWEVER THERE IS NO ENTRY ON THE MEL REFERRING TO NAV LIGHTS AT ALL. TO AVOID CONFUSION, I FEEL THAT THE WORDING AND TERMINOLOGY SHOULD BE STANDARDIZED.

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