Narrative:

On the night of aug/xa/00 at approximately XA00, I observed air carrier B737-300 xyz push back to its overnight parking spot next to gate ab at the ZZZ airport. At that time I noticed that the exterior emergency exit lights were on with aircraft power off. Several mins later after exiting the aircraft I was working on, I saw that the lights were still on, but that someone was in the cockpit with a flashlight. Later still, as I was at the rear of my aircraft, I noticed that all but 1 of the lights on the right side of aircraft xyz were off, and later it too was off. The following morning (aug/xa/00) at approximately XG15, I reported to air carrier supervisor (vx wxx) what had happened and suggested that an FBO mechanic be called to check the system for proper operation. He told me that he would report it to the aircraft captain, and I again suggested that an a&P mechanic be called. At that point I returned to my work area. At about XH15 I returned to the air carrier office and inquired about the aircraft and was told that the captain was informed and told the supervisor (vx wxx) that the batteries would recharge with ship's power. Knowing that on air carrier X aircraft the exit light batteries take about 16 hours to recharge, I felt that the aircraft was dispatched with a known problem and that a report should be filed to cover myself if further problems came about because of this incident.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-300 WAS DISPATCHED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH THE EMER EXIT DOOR LIGHTING SYS INOP DUE TO DEAD BATTERIES.

Narrative: ON THE NIGHT OF AUG/XA/00 AT APPROX XA00, I OBSERVED ACR B737-300 XYZ PUSH BACK TO ITS OVERNIGHT PARKING SPOT NEXT TO GATE AB AT THE ZZZ ARPT. AT THAT TIME I NOTICED THAT THE EXTERIOR EMER EXIT LIGHTS WERE ON WITH ACFT PWR OFF. SEVERAL MINS LATER AFTER EXITING THE ACFT I WAS WORKING ON, I SAW THAT THE LIGHTS WERE STILL ON, BUT THAT SOMEONE WAS IN THE COCKPIT WITH A FLASHLIGHT. LATER STILL, AS I WAS AT THE REAR OF MY ACFT, I NOTICED THAT ALL BUT 1 OF THE LIGHTS ON THE R SIDE OF ACFT XYZ WERE OFF, AND LATER IT TOO WAS OFF. THE FOLLOWING MORNING (AUG/XA/00) AT APPROX XG15, I RPTED TO ACR SUPVR (VX WXX) WHAT HAD HAPPENED AND SUGGESTED THAT AN FBO MECH BE CALLED TO CHK THE SYS FOR PROPER OP. HE TOLD ME THAT HE WOULD RPT IT TO THE ACFT CAPT, AND I AGAIN SUGGESTED THAT AN A&P MECH BE CALLED. AT THAT POINT I RETURNED TO MY WORK AREA. AT ABOUT XH15 I RETURNED TO THE ACR OFFICE AND INQUIRED ABOUT THE ACFT AND WAS TOLD THAT THE CAPT WAS INFORMED AND TOLD THE SUPVR (VX WXX) THAT THE BATTERIES WOULD RECHARGE WITH SHIP'S PWR. KNOWING THAT ON ACR X ACFT THE EXIT LIGHT BATTERIES TAKE ABOUT 16 HRS TO RECHARGE, I FELT THAT THE ACFT WAS DISPATCHED WITH A KNOWN PROB AND THAT A RPT SHOULD BE FILED TO COVER MYSELF IF FURTHER PROBS CAME ABOUT BECAUSE OF THIS INCIDENT.

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.