An air carrier B747 returned and landed with the lower rotating beacon out.

Attributes
ACN	262153
Time
Date	199401
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : air airport : ord
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 37000 msl bound upper : 37000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : ord
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B747-100
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other ground : preflight landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 18000 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	262153
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 7500 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	262155
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

During push back in chicago, the mechanic said the lower rotating beacon was inoperative. My so called our controlling maintenance facility they deferred the light for daylight flight only. We received a deferral # and name for the aircraft log. As we were # 1 for takeoff in ord. We departed for iad. En route, dispatch called me and told me to return to ord as I would land after official sunset in dulles. I returned to ord and landed. It was quite dark after flying back into over 100 KT winds. Supplemental information from acn 262155: we would be landing at iad just at sunset, while returning to ord well after dusk. If we were illegal at iad we were definitely illegal for ord. The dispatcher was new, had not coordinated with supervisor nor maintenance. It appears our turnback was unnecessary. Supplemental information from acn 262074: aircraft had been on an extended WX related ground hold. I advised the crew of MEL limitations which allow deferral for daylight operations only. It is the captain's decision whether to return to blocks for maintenance or to continue the flight. Dispatch should have advised the crew and continued the flight to iad.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR B747 RETURNED AND LANDED WITH THE LOWER ROTATING BEACON OUT.

Narrative: DURING PUSH BACK IN CHICAGO, THE MECH SAID THE LOWER ROTATING BEACON WAS INOP. MY SO CALLED OUR CONTROLLING MAINT FACILITY THEY DEFERRED THE LIGHT FOR DAYLIGHT FLT ONLY. WE RECEIVED A DEFERRAL # AND NAME FOR THE ACFT LOG. AS WE WERE # 1 FOR TKOF IN ORD. WE DEPARTED FOR IAD. ENRTE, DISPATCH CALLED ME AND TOLD ME TO RETURN TO ORD AS I WOULD LAND AFTER OFFICIAL SUNSET IN DULLES. I RETURNED TO ORD AND LANDED. IT WAS QUITE DARK AFTER FLYING BACK INTO OVER 100 KT WINDS. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 262155: WE WOULD BE LANDING AT IAD JUST AT SUNSET, WHILE RETURNING TO ORD WELL AFTER DUSK. IF WE WERE ILLEGAL AT IAD WE WERE DEFINITELY ILLEGAL FOR ORD. THE DISPATCHER WAS NEW, HAD NOT COORDINATED WITH SUPVR NOR MAINT. IT APPEARS OUR TURNBACK WAS UNNECESSARY. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 262074: ACFT HAD BEEN ON AN EXTENDED WX RELATED GND HOLD. I ADVISED THE CREW OF MEL LIMITATIONS WHICH ALLOW DEFERRAL FOR DAYLIGHT OPS ONLY. IT IS THE CAPT'S DECISION WHETHER TO RETURN TO BLOCKS FOR MAINT OR TO CONTINUE THE FLT. DISPATCH SHOULD HAVE ADVISED THE CREW AND CONTINUED THE FLT TO IAD.

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