Narrative:

I was assigned to fly from iln to bfi on nov/xa/98 in DC8 aircraft xyz. I accomplished a 4 engine start and after pushing out of the blocks, ground control advised us that our top anti- collision light was not operating. I checked that the switch was in the 'on' position and that the circuit breakers had been reset after being pulled for the refueling process. I believed that we could continue since we had the bottom anti-collision light fully operational and since we had already pushed out of the blocks, I elected to continue. While taxiing to the runway, ground control advised that our top anti-collision light was still inoperative. At this time, I had the so review the DC8 MEL for the anti- collision light. After listening to it, discussing what it said, I believed that I was correct in that the MEL allowed us to continue with one light inoperative and I elected to continue the flight with the light inoperative. Just prior to reaching the end of the runway, ground control advised us to contact our dispatcher. We called our dispatcher who said she had nothing for us. We advised her of our inoperative light, that we had reviewed the MEL and that we were continuing with the flight. She said that they would contact maintenance and advise them. During our takeoff roll, tower called us, I acknowledged with our call sign and 'takeoff roll.' they said 'disregard.' when cleared to day approach, they asked us to contact flight control. When we called flight control, they also said 'disregard.' during the flight to bfi, I again reviewed the MEL and after discussing it again, believed that I was still correct with my decision. At bfi, I contacted flight control for debrief since we were 47 mins late in departing. Though flight control had nothing for me, ie, I elected to contact the chief pilots office to discuss with them as what had transpired during the departure. I talked to a DC8 chief pilot, describing what had occurred. Initially, he agreed with me as to the decision I had made. But after reviewing the MEL and discussing it, stated that I may very well be in non compliance with the MEL procedure. On departure from bfi, write-up on the inoperative light had been cleared as having the bulbs relamped. Second, after you have pushed out of the blocks and discover a discrepancy, you can continue with the flight if, after a review of the MEL for that item, you comply with its guidance and/or all restrs. I had originally continued, going on belief that I could. I later reviewed the MEL for this item and discussing it with the other crew members, believed that I was correct in being allowed to continue with the flight with an inoperative light.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DC8 FREIGHTER ON TAXI OUT WAS ADVISED OF THE UPPER ANTI-COLLISION LIGHT INOP. CREW ADVISED DISPATCH AND ELECTED TO CONTINUE IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH THE MEL.

Narrative: I WAS ASSIGNED TO FLY FROM ILN TO BFI ON NOV/XA/98 IN DC8 ACFT XYZ. I ACCOMPLISHED A 4 ENG START AND AFTER PUSHING OUT OF THE BLOCKS, GND CTL ADVISED US THAT OUR TOP ANTI- COLLISION LIGHT WAS NOT OPERATING. I CHKED THAT THE SWITCH WAS IN THE 'ON' POS AND THAT THE CIRCUIT BREAKERS HAD BEEN RESET AFTER BEING PULLED FOR THE REFUELING PROCESS. I BELIEVED THAT WE COULD CONTINUE SINCE WE HAD THE BOTTOM ANTI-COLLISION LIGHT FULLY OPERATIONAL AND SINCE WE HAD ALREADY PUSHED OUT OF THE BLOCKS, I ELECTED TO CONTINUE. WHILE TAXIING TO THE RWY, GND CTL ADVISED THAT OUR TOP ANTI-COLLISION LIGHT WAS STILL INOP. AT THIS TIME, I HAD THE SO REVIEW THE DC8 MEL FOR THE ANTI- COLLISION LIGHT. AFTER LISTENING TO IT, DISCUSSING WHAT IT SAID, I BELIEVED THAT I WAS CORRECT IN THAT THE MEL ALLOWED US TO CONTINUE WITH ONE LIGHT INOP AND I ELECTED TO CONTINUE THE FLT WITH THE LIGHT INOP. JUST PRIOR TO REACHING THE END OF THE RWY, GND CTL ADVISED US TO CONTACT OUR DISPATCHER. WE CALLED OUR DISPATCHER WHO SAID SHE HAD NOTHING FOR US. WE ADVISED HER OF OUR INOP LIGHT, THAT WE HAD REVIEWED THE MEL AND THAT WE WERE CONTINUING WITH THE FLT. SHE SAID THAT THEY WOULD CONTACT MAINT AND ADVISE THEM. DURING OUR TKOF ROLL, TWR CALLED US, I ACKNOWLEDGED WITH OUR CALL SIGN AND 'TKOF ROLL.' THEY SAID 'DISREGARD.' WHEN CLRED TO DAY APCH, THEY ASKED US TO CONTACT FLT CTL. WHEN WE CALLED FLT CTL, THEY ALSO SAID 'DISREGARD.' DURING THE FLT TO BFI, I AGAIN REVIEWED THE MEL AND AFTER DISCUSSING IT AGAIN, BELIEVED THAT I WAS STILL CORRECT WITH MY DECISION. AT BFI, I CONTACTED FLT CTL FOR DEBRIEF SINCE WE WERE 47 MINS LATE IN DEPARTING. THOUGH FLT CTL HAD NOTHING FOR ME, IE, I ELECTED TO CONTACT THE CHIEF PLTS OFFICE TO DISCUSS WITH THEM AS WHAT HAD TRANSPIRED DURING THE DEP. I TALKED TO A DC8 CHIEF PLT, DESCRIBING WHAT HAD OCCURRED. INITIALLY, HE AGREED WITH ME AS TO THE DECISION I HAD MADE. BUT AFTER REVIEWING THE MEL AND DISCUSSING IT, STATED THAT I MAY VERY WELL BE IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH THE MEL PROC. ON DEP FROM BFI, WRITE-UP ON THE INOP LIGHT HAD BEEN CLRED AS HAVING THE BULBS RELAMPED. SECOND, AFTER YOU HAVE PUSHED OUT OF THE BLOCKS AND DISCOVER A DISCREPANCY, YOU CAN CONTINUE WITH THE FLT IF, AFTER A REVIEW OF THE MEL FOR THAT ITEM, YOU COMPLY WITH ITS GUIDANCE AND/OR ALL RESTRS. I HAD ORIGINALLY CONTINUED, GOING ON BELIEF THAT I COULD. I LATER REVIEWED THE MEL FOR THIS ITEM AND DISCUSSING IT WITH THE OTHER CREW MEMBERS, BELIEVED THAT I WAS CORRECT IN BEING ALLOWED TO CONTINUE WITH THE FLT WITH AN INOP LIGHT.

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.