Narrative:

Aircraft abcd arrived denver at XC58 and was due to depart at XC40 to vancouver. Our maintenance controller called to advise the gate mechanic that the red navigation light was out. The maintenance controller said we could sign the sealant off by using tma 37821. The supervisor then said it was also ok to sign the replacement of the navigation light. This paperwork that they presented to use was not applicable to the B737-500, but we didn't realize that until after the aircraft had already left. Management had us dispatch an aircraft without giving the 30 mins for the sealant fumes to dissipate. Per the maintenance manual, when a navigation light is replaced, the terminals have to be sealed, and they want you to wait 30 mins so sealant fumes dissipate in case there is a spark coming from the terminals. We were pressured to dispatch this aircraft to prevent a delay.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-500 IS RELEASED FOR SVC AFTER THE RED NAV LIGHT WAS REPLACED BUT PRIOR TO THE 30 MINS DRYING TIME REQUIRED FOR THE SEALANT AROUND THE LIGHT AT DEN, CO.

Narrative: ACFT ABCD ARRIVED DENVER AT XC58 AND WAS DUE TO DEPART AT XC40 TO VANCOUVER. OUR MAINT CTLR CALLED TO ADVISE THE GATE MECH THAT THE RED NAV LIGHT WAS OUT. THE MAINT CTLR SAID WE COULD SIGN THE SEALANT OFF BY USING TMA 37821. THE SUPVR THEN SAID IT WAS ALSO OK TO SIGN THE REPLACEMENT OF THE NAV LIGHT. THIS PAPERWORK THAT THEY PRESENTED TO USE WAS NOT APPLICABLE TO THE B737-500, BUT WE DIDN'T REALIZE THAT UNTIL AFTER THE ACFT HAD ALREADY LEFT. MGMNT HAD US DISPATCH AN ACFT WITHOUT GIVING THE 30 MINS FOR THE SEALANT FUMES TO DISSIPATE. PER THE MAINT MANUAL, WHEN A NAV LIGHT IS REPLACED, THE TERMINALS HAVE TO BE SEALED, AND THEY WANT YOU TO WAIT 30 MINS SO SEALANT FUMES DISSIPATE IN CASE THERE IS A SPARK COMING FROM THE TERMINALS. WE WERE PRESSURED TO DISPATCH THIS ACFT TO PREVENT A DELAY.

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.