A B727 was dispatched in non compliance with a start valve open light deferred as inoperative in con...

Attributes
ACN	483388
Time
Date	200008
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : yyz.airport
State Reference	AB
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : preflight ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : second officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time total : 10000
ASRS Report	483388
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : improper documentation non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other other : person 1
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	other
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : schedule pressure performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance Maintenance Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

#2 engine start valve light inoperative when starting the engine. The engine started properly, but the light didn't flicker. The MEL states there is no relight for this item. Captain contacted maintenance control and dispatch and they said it was okay to depart yyc for msp. I disagree, because we had no way of telling whether or not the light came on in flight. The aircraft should have returned to the gate and maintenance performed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B727 WAS DISPATCHED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH A START VALVE OPEN LIGHT DEFERRED AS INOP IN CONFLICT WITH THE MEL.

Narrative: #2 ENG START VALVE LIGHT INOP WHEN STARTING THE ENG. THE ENG STARTED PROPERLY, BUT THE LIGHT DIDN'T FLICKER. THE MEL STATES THERE IS NO RELIGHT FOR THIS ITEM. CAPT CONTACTED MAINT CTL AND DISPATCH AND THEY SAID IT WAS OKAY TO DEPART YYC FOR MSP. I DISAGREE, BECAUSE WE HAD NO WAY OF TELLING WHETHER OR NOT THE LIGHT CAME ON IN FLT. THE ACFT SHOULD HAVE RETURNED TO THE GATE AND MAINT PERFORMED.

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.

A B727 was dispatched in non compliance with a start valve open light deferred as inoperative in conflict with the MEL.