Aircraft took off without navigation lights.

Attributes
ACN	295035
Time
Date	199501
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : oaj
State Reference	NC
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 225 flight time total : 9745 flight time type : 3200
ASRS Report	295035
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While on the ground at oaj, navigation light circuit breaker was found 'popped.' it had been worked on by maintenance earlier in the day. Breaker was reset and captain noted that he thought navigation lights were deferrable per the MEL if strobes were functioning. On taxi out we noticed breaker again had popped, and left it out. Rushing to get off on time, we did not refer to the MEL for confirmation of the captain's assumptions. Later, after landing, MEL revealed that navigation lights were not deferrable equipment.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT TOOK OFF WITHOUT NAV LIGHTS.

Narrative: WHILE ON THE GND AT OAJ, NAV LIGHT CIRCUIT BREAKER WAS FOUND 'POPPED.' IT HAD BEEN WORKED ON BY MAINT EARLIER IN THE DAY. BREAKER WAS RESET AND CAPT NOTED THAT HE THOUGHT NAV LIGHTS WERE DEFERRABLE PER THE MEL IF STROBES WERE FUNCTIONING. ON TAXI OUT WE NOTICED BREAKER AGAIN HAD POPPED, AND LEFT IT OUT. RUSHING TO GET OFF ON TIME, WE DID NOT REFER TO THE MEL FOR CONFIRMATION OF THE CAPT'S ASSUMPTIONS. LATER, AFTER LNDG, MEL REVEALED THAT NAV LIGHTS WERE NOT DEFERRABLE EQUIP.

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.