Narrative:

Flight xyz operating mco-sju on mar 1997. Prior to departure airbus technical contacted dispatch asking for approval for MEL annunciator lights dim function. Since I was busy with another call a dispatcher near me approved this MEL for flight xyz. Apparently the dispatcher who approved the MEL either misread the MEL or read a different MEL. It was discovered after the flight had taxied out that this MEL required that the flight be completed before night fall. Flight departed mco and landed uneventfully at sju after sunset.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A300-600R HAD MEL ITEM, 'ANNUNCIATOR LIGHTS, DIM FUNCTION' APPROVED BY DISPATCHER IN ERROR. FLT WAS MCO- SJU WITH ARR AFTER SUNSET. BOOK SPECIFIES FLT ONLY IN DAYLIGHT. ACFT LANDED SJU JUST AFTER SUNSET, NO PROB.

Narrative: FLT XYZ OPERATING MCO-SJU ON MAR 1997. PRIOR TO DEP AIRBUS TECHNICAL CONTACTED DISPATCH ASKING FOR APPROVAL FOR MEL ANNUNCIATOR LIGHTS DIM FUNCTION. SINCE I WAS BUSY WITH ANOTHER CALL A DISPATCHER NEAR ME APPROVED THIS MEL FOR FLT XYZ. APPARENTLY THE DISPATCHER WHO APPROVED THE MEL EITHER MISREAD THE MEL OR READ A DIFFERENT MEL. IT WAS DISCOVERED AFTER THE FLT HAD TAXIED OUT THAT THIS MEL REQUIRED THAT THE FLT BE COMPLETED BEFORE NIGHT FALL. FLT DEPARTED MCO AND LANDED UNEVENTFULLY AT SJU AFTER SUNSET.

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.