Narrative:

After pushback and upon engine start, we noticed that the 'start valve open' lights on all 3 engines had not illuminated, though they had tested normally during preflight. The second officer was easily able to monitor start valve operation by observing the duct pressure gauge, so we continued to troubleshoot the problem as we taxied to the runway. We could find no abnormals in the operating manual to cover this situation, but since the start valve operation had been verified by the duct pressure gauge it seemed like a minor indicating problem so we took off for alb the flight proceeded normally. Upon reaching cruise altitude we remembered to check the MEL and discovered that the start valve open lights were required. Further searching in the aircraft log revealed that the aircraft had come from maintenance where the starter circuits had been modified. The aircraft had, however, flown several legs after the maintenance before we got it. Upon landing in alb where maintenance was not available, the captain consulted with the maintenance coordinator and since the start valves were verified to be working normally, he elected to fly the aircraft on to pwm where maintenance was available to fix the problem. We understand that the problem was caused by improper wiring to the light circuit during the modification. Looking back on it I should have suggested to the captain that we check the MEL before leaving atl, however we were busy with checklists etc and just assumed that the problem was minor and of no real importance. Also contributing to the fact that the aircraft had flown all day with the problem may have been that the start valve lights are located on the forward panel in this aircraft, but on the engineer's panel in most of the fleet.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW DEPARTED WITH ENGINE START VALVE POSITION INDICATOR LIGHTS INOPERATIVE. MINIMUM EQUIPMENT LIST PROBLEM.

Narrative: AFTER PUSHBACK AND UPON ENGINE START, WE NOTICED THAT THE 'START VALVE OPEN' LIGHTS ON ALL 3 ENGINES HAD NOT ILLUMINATED, THOUGH THEY HAD TESTED NORMALLY DURING PREFLT. THE S/O WAS EASILY ABLE TO MONITOR START VALVE OPERATION BY OBSERVING THE DUCT PRESSURE GAUGE, SO WE CONTINUED TO TROUBLESHOOT THE PROBLEM AS WE TAXIED TO THE RWY. WE COULD FIND NO ABNORMALS IN THE OPERATING MANUAL TO COVER THIS SITUATION, BUT SINCE THE START VALVE OPERATION HAD BEEN VERIFIED BY THE DUCT PRESSURE GAUGE IT SEEMED LIKE A MINOR INDICATING PROBLEM SO WE TOOK OFF FOR ALB THE FLT PROCEEDED NORMALLY. UPON REACHING CRUISE ALT WE REMEMBERED TO CHECK THE MEL AND DISCOVERED THAT THE START VALVE OPEN LIGHTS WERE REQUIRED. FURTHER SEARCHING IN THE ACFT LOG REVEALED THAT THE ACFT HAD COME FROM MAINT WHERE THE STARTER CIRCUITS HAD BEEN MODIFIED. THE ACFT HAD, HOWEVER, FLOWN SEVERAL LEGS AFTER THE MAINT BEFORE WE GOT IT. UPON LNDG IN ALB WHERE MAINT WAS NOT AVAILABLE, THE CAPT CONSULTED WITH THE MAINT COORDINATOR AND SINCE THE START VALVES WERE VERIFIED TO BE WORKING NORMALLY, HE ELECTED TO FLY THE ACFT ON TO PWM WHERE MAINT WAS AVAILABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM. WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE PROBLEM WAS CAUSED BY IMPROPER WIRING TO THE LIGHT CIRCUIT DURING THE MODIFICATION. LOOKING BACK ON IT I SHOULD HAVE SUGGESTED TO THE CAPT THAT WE CHECK THE MEL BEFORE LEAVING ATL, HOWEVER WE WERE BUSY WITH CHECKLISTS ETC AND JUST ASSUMED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS MINOR AND OF NO REAL IMPORTANCE. ALSO CONTRIBUTING TO THE FACT THAT THE ACFT HAD FLOWN ALL DAY WITH THE PROBLEM MAY HAVE BEEN THAT THE START VALVE LIGHTS ARE LOCATED ON THE FORWARD PANEL IN THIS ACFT, BUT ON THE ENGINEER'S PANEL IN MOST OF THE FLEET.

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.