Narrative:

While at the gate at mdw, the #2 fuel valve light indicated it was in transit, bright blue. Maintenance was notified to investigate. This was noticed just a few mins before scheduled departure, and we were running a few mins behind. I had my preflight duties completed, so I vacated the cockpit so that the captain and the mechanic could expedite whatever action was required. After several mins, I learned from the captain that the mechanic was going to perform the MEL procedure for this particular problem, and the captain notified dispatch via the jetway phone. As required, the mechanic started the engine, but found the valve light extinguished (operations checked normal) as soon as he engaged the starter. According to the mechanic, that negated the need for an MEL or logbook entry since the aircraft wasn't broken, and that a slight pressure from the starter was enough to correct the in transit indication. The valve light functioned normally after several more checks. The mechanic completed the entire MEL procedure anyhow, though not required, he said, since it was working properly at that point. Discussion between the captain and the mechanic about the proper method for satisfying all applicable requirements for this situation took place while I resumed my duties. The captain informed me that the mechanic was going to call dispatch and advise them that there was, in fact, no need for an MEL, and that the request for one was premature. I understood that the mechanic was offering his help to the captain by making this phone call, so that we could depart, as we were now behind schedule. A normal start and uneventful flight to houston was made. Upon receipt of the dispatch release in houston for our next leg, there was an MEL on it for the fuel valve. It appeared that the mechanic had not made the phone call, or that dispatch had not removed the MEL, if he had. Therefore, an MEL existed for an aircraft that wasn't broken. Clearly, a communication problem, exacerbated by time pressures, created this situation. At no time was there any thought that anything but proper procedure was being followed. In hindsight, verification with dispatch via telephone or radio should have been done.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-700 CREW DID NOT INSURE AN MEL ITEM CARRIED ON THE DISPATCH RELEASE WAS REMOVED WHEN THE ITEM WAS CLRED.

Narrative: WHILE AT THE GATE AT MDW, THE #2 FUEL VALVE LIGHT INDICATED IT WAS IN TRANSIT, BRIGHT BLUE. MAINT WAS NOTIFIED TO INVESTIGATE. THIS WAS NOTICED JUST A FEW MINS BEFORE SCHEDULED DEP, AND WE WERE RUNNING A FEW MINS BEHIND. I HAD MY PREFLT DUTIES COMPLETED, SO I VACATED THE COCKPIT SO THAT THE CAPT AND THE MECH COULD EXPEDITE WHATEVER ACTION WAS REQUIRED. AFTER SEVERAL MINS, I LEARNED FROM THE CAPT THAT THE MECH WAS GOING TO PERFORM THE MEL PROC FOR THIS PARTICULAR PROB, AND THE CAPT NOTIFIED DISPATCH VIA THE JETWAY PHONE. AS REQUIRED, THE MECH STARTED THE ENG, BUT FOUND THE VALVE LIGHT EXTINGUISHED (OPS CHKED NORMAL) AS SOON AS HE ENGAGED THE STARTER. ACCORDING TO THE MECH, THAT NEGATED THE NEED FOR AN MEL OR LOGBOOK ENTRY SINCE THE ACFT WASN'T BROKEN, AND THAT A SLIGHT PRESSURE FROM THE STARTER WAS ENOUGH TO CORRECT THE IN TRANSIT INDICATION. THE VALVE LIGHT FUNCTIONED NORMALLY AFTER SEVERAL MORE CHKS. THE MECH COMPLETED THE ENTIRE MEL PROC ANYHOW, THOUGH NOT REQUIRED, HE SAID, SINCE IT WAS WORKING PROPERLY AT THAT POINT. DISCUSSION BTWN THE CAPT AND THE MECH ABOUT THE PROPER METHOD FOR SATISFYING ALL APPLICABLE REQUIREMENTS FOR THIS SIT TOOK PLACE WHILE I RESUMED MY DUTIES. THE CAPT INFORMED ME THAT THE MECH WAS GOING TO CALL DISPATCH AND ADVISE THEM THAT THERE WAS, IN FACT, NO NEED FOR AN MEL, AND THAT THE REQUEST FOR ONE WAS PREMATURE. I UNDERSTOOD THAT THE MECH WAS OFFERING HIS HELP TO THE CAPT BY MAKING THIS PHONE CALL, SO THAT WE COULD DEPART, AS WE WERE NOW BEHIND SCHEDULE. A NORMAL START AND UNEVENTFUL FLT TO HOUSTON WAS MADE. UPON RECEIPT OF THE DISPATCH RELEASE IN HOUSTON FOR OUR NEXT LEG, THERE WAS AN MEL ON IT FOR THE FUEL VALVE. IT APPEARED THAT THE MECH HAD NOT MADE THE PHONE CALL, OR THAT DISPATCH HAD NOT REMOVED THE MEL, IF HE HAD. THEREFORE, AN MEL EXISTED FOR AN ACFT THAT WASN'T BROKEN. CLRLY, A COM PROB, EXACERBATED BY TIME PRESSURES, CREATED THIS SIT. AT NO TIME WAS THERE ANY THOUGHT THAT ANYTHING BUT PROPER PROC WAS BEING FOLLOWED. IN HINDSIGHT, VERIFICATION WITH DISPATCH VIA TELEPHONE OR RADIO SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE.

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.