A B737 was dispatched in non compliance with the passenger oxygen on light on the overhead P-5 panel...

Attributes
ACN	585207
Time
Date	200306
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel
Qualification	other
ASRS Report	585207
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel
Qualification	other
ASRS Report	585206
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : non compliance with mel non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : manuals contributing factor : schedule pressure performance deficiency : fault isolation performance deficiency : logbook entry performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements performance deficiency : repair
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Maintenance Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance Chart Or Publication Aircraft
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

I was working desk xx while another dispatcher stepped away for a moment. I answered the phone and the captain was on the phone in xx (a maintenance station). He informed me that a maintenance worker had talked to maintenance controller and were deferring the overhead light for the passenger oxygen system. I gave the captain the time and my initials for the deferral (cockpit instrument light). I called maintenance and they told me that the back-up for the light is the 6 pack. That same crew took that aircraft XXX-YYY where it was picked up by another crew. The new crew disagreed with that deferral, because the MEL does not specifically state that the item can be deferred. On the prior agreement with the captain and maintenance the justification was that a back-up (6 pack) was sufficient under the description of deferral. XXX sent parts and mechanics out to YYY to fix warning light (oxygen overhead), and the plane was back in service later that evening. Possibly a change in the MEL to avert any other grey areas concerning which lights are covered by this deferral. Also including all 3 (captain, dispatcher, maintenance control) persons on the conference all at a maintenance station, just as it is done in an out station. That way there is no transporting or second hand information.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737 WAS DISPATCHED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH THE PAX OXYGEN ON LIGHT ON THE OVERHEAD P-5 PANEL DEFERRED AS INOP IN CONFLICT WITH THE MEL.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING DESK XX WHILE ANOTHER DISPATCHER STEPPED AWAY FOR A MOMENT. I ANSWERED THE PHONE AND THE CAPT WAS ON THE PHONE IN XX (A MAINT STATION). HE INFORMED ME THAT A MAINT WORKER HAD TALKED TO MAINT CTLR AND WERE DEFERRING THE OVERHEAD LIGHT FOR THE PAX OXYGEN SYS. I GAVE THE CAPT THE TIME AND MY INITIALS FOR THE DEFERRAL (COCKPIT INST LIGHT). I CALLED MAINT AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THE BACK-UP FOR THE LIGHT IS THE 6 PACK. THAT SAME CREW TOOK THAT ACFT XXX-YYY WHERE IT WAS PICKED UP BY ANOTHER CREW. THE NEW CREW DISAGREED WITH THAT DEFERRAL, BECAUSE THE MEL DOES NOT SPECIFICALLY STATE THAT THE ITEM CAN BE DEFERRED. ON THE PRIOR AGREEMENT WITH THE CAPT AND MAINT THE JUSTIFICATION WAS THAT A BACK-UP (6 PACK) WAS SUFFICIENT UNDER THE DESCRIPTION OF DEFERRAL. XXX SENT PARTS AND MECHS OUT TO YYY TO FIX WARNING LIGHT (OXYGEN OVERHEAD), AND THE PLANE WAS BACK IN SVC LATER THAT EVENING. POSSIBLY A CHANGE IN THE MEL TO AVERT ANY OTHER GREY AREAS CONCERNING WHICH LIGHTS ARE COVERED BY THIS DEFERRAL. ALSO INCLUDING ALL 3 (CAPT, DISPATCHER, MAINT CTL) PERSONS ON THE CONFERENCE ALL AT A MAINT STATION, JUST AS IT IS DONE IN AN OUT STATION. THAT WAY THERE IS NO TRANSPORTING OR SECOND HAND INFO.

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 B737 was dispatched in non compliance with the passenger oxygen on light on the overhead P-5 panel deferred as inoperative in conflict with the MEL.