Narrative:

We were flight XXXX/XXX ZZZ-ord. Upon initial pushback, we experienced a rev unlock light on #1 engine. Through ZZZ operations, a phone patch was made with maintenance. Being towed back to the gate after troubleshooting, operations was trying to locate contract maintenance on field to troubleshoot and defer. During this time, captain was in operations and I remained on board. I received from dispatch to expect release 2 per thrust rev as per maintenance. I received release 2, but with a new radio call sign. After maintenance deferred the #1 thrust reverser, I coordinated with clearance to verify our new call sign and via ACARS release verification 2. All was accomplished SOP. After takeoff, dispatch want to verify acceptance of #1 thrust reverser deferred. Captain and I forgot to let dispatch know about deferral prior to tow, after we received the message from dispatch. Captain affirmed that the #1 thrust reverser has been deferred. We talked about it. We wrote it on the ACARS, printed release #2 with zulu time and attached dispatch message to that release. We both had safety of our passenger on the forefront of our minds, but we forgot to keep dispatch in the loop by letting them know that the #1 thrust reverser has actually been deferred. Dispatch knew maintenance was working on the problem, but did not know it was finished. Captain and I talked about it and how he went out of his habit pattern and I acknowledged that my part was not done either by inquiring if dispatch has been contacted.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-300 DEPARTED ZZZ AFTER #1 REVERSER WAS DEFERRED PER THE MEL BUT THE CREW DID NOT ADVISE DISPATCH OF THE DEFERRAL.

Narrative: WE WERE FLT XXXX/XXX ZZZ-ORD. UPON INITIAL PUSHBACK, WE EXPERIENCED A REV UNLOCK LIGHT ON #1 ENG. THROUGH ZZZ OPS, A PHONE PATCH WAS MADE WITH MAINT. BEING TOWED BACK TO THE GATE AFTER TROUBLESHOOTING, OPS WAS TRYING TO LOCATE CONTRACT MAINT ON FIELD TO TROUBLESHOOT AND DEFER. DURING THIS TIME, CAPT WAS IN OPS AND I REMAINED ON BOARD. I RECEIVED FROM DISPATCH TO EXPECT RELEASE 2 PER THRUST REV AS PER MAINT. I RECEIVED RELEASE 2, BUT WITH A NEW RADIO CALL SIGN. AFTER MAINT DEFERRED THE #1 THRUST REVERSER, I COORDINATED WITH CLRNC TO VERIFY OUR NEW CALL SIGN AND VIA ACARS RELEASE VERIFICATION 2. ALL WAS ACCOMPLISHED SOP. AFTER TKOF, DISPATCH WANT TO VERIFY ACCEPTANCE OF #1 THRUST REVERSER DEFERRED. CAPT AND I FORGOT TO LET DISPATCH KNOW ABOUT DEFERRAL PRIOR TO TOW, AFTER WE RECEIVED THE MSG FROM DISPATCH. CAPT AFFIRMED THAT THE #1 THRUST REVERSER HAS BEEN DEFERRED. WE TALKED ABOUT IT. WE WROTE IT ON THE ACARS, PRINTED RELEASE #2 WITH ZULU TIME AND ATTACHED DISPATCH MSG TO THAT RELEASE. WE BOTH HAD SAFETY OF OUR PAX ON THE FOREFRONT OF OUR MINDS, BUT WE FORGOT TO KEEP DISPATCH IN THE LOOP BY LETTING THEM KNOW THAT THE #1 THRUST REVERSER HAS ACTUALLY BEEN DEFERRED. DISPATCH KNEW MAINT WAS WORKING ON THE PROB, BUT DID NOT KNOW IT WAS FINISHED. CAPT AND I TALKED ABOUT IT AND HOW HE WENT OUT OF HIS HABIT PATTERN AND I ACKNOWLEDGED THAT MY PART WAS NOT DONE EITHER BY INQUIRING IF DISPATCH HAS BEEN CONTACTED.

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.