Narrative:

While starting #1 engine, the 'engine control light' illuminated. This indicates a failure of the eec system. I discussed the condition with both maintenance and dispatch and I decided, with concurrence from both people, that we could dispatch the aircraft after fulfilling the conditions of the MEL, which we did. One of the steps in the MEL calls for us to select 'alternate' eec mode, which, when we did, caused the engine control light to extinguish. A note after the last item on the MEL says the aircraft is not dispatchable with an illuminated engine control light. We interpreted this to mean that if, after following the steps in the MEL, the light was still on, we could not go, but if it extinguished, we could. We flew to destination uneventfully. I was informed at destination that this may not be the case, that in fact if the light illuminates, it is not placardable, even if selecting alternate extinguishes it. The MEL is, therefore, confusing -- first, because the title 'electronic engine control' light is a condition this MEL items applies to. Secondly, the note is at the end of the list of items to accomplish, which implies that if the steps are followed and the light extinguishes, you are ok to go, whereupon the reverse prevents your departure. It would be helpful to move the note to the top of the MEL procedure and clarify what condition and indications call for the use of this MEL procedure. Our error was in not verifying the above concerns directly with maintenance -- which I will be certain to be more careful to do in the future.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF B737 ENCOUNTER CONFUSION REGARDING MEL PROC FOR AN ENG CTL LIGHT. UNCLR WHETHER THEY WERE LEGAL TO DEPART AFTER PERFORMING THE PROC OR NOT.

Narrative: WHILE STARTING #1 ENG, THE 'ENG CTL LIGHT' ILLUMINATED. THIS INDICATES A FAILURE OF THE EEC SYS. I DISCUSSED THE CONDITION WITH BOTH MAINT AND DISPATCH AND I DECIDED, WITH CONCURRENCE FROM BOTH PEOPLE, THAT WE COULD DISPATCH THE ACFT AFTER FULFILLING THE CONDITIONS OF THE MEL, WHICH WE DID. ONE OF THE STEPS IN THE MEL CALLS FOR US TO SELECT 'ALTERNATE' EEC MODE, WHICH, WHEN WE DID, CAUSED THE ENG CTL LIGHT TO EXTINGUISH. A NOTE AFTER THE LAST ITEM ON THE MEL SAYS THE ACFT IS NOT DISPATCHABLE WITH AN ILLUMINATED ENG CTL LIGHT. WE INTERPED THIS TO MEAN THAT IF, AFTER FOLLOWING THE STEPS IN THE MEL, THE LIGHT WAS STILL ON, WE COULD NOT GO, BUT IF IT EXTINGUISHED, WE COULD. WE FLEW TO DEST UNEVENTFULLY. I WAS INFORMED AT DEST THAT THIS MAY NOT BE THE CASE, THAT IN FACT IF THE LIGHT ILLUMINATES, IT IS NOT PLACARDABLE, EVEN IF SELECTING ALTERNATE EXTINGUISHES IT. THE MEL IS, THEREFORE, CONFUSING -- FIRST, BECAUSE THE TITLE 'ELECTRONIC ENG CTL' LIGHT IS A CONDITION THIS MEL ITEMS APPLIES TO. SECONDLY, THE NOTE IS AT THE END OF THE LIST OF ITEMS TO ACCOMPLISH, WHICH IMPLIES THAT IF THE STEPS ARE FOLLOWED AND THE LIGHT EXTINGUISHES, YOU ARE OK TO GO, WHEREUPON THE REVERSE PREVENTS YOUR DEP. IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO MOVE THE NOTE TO THE TOP OF THE MEL PROC AND CLARIFY WHAT CONDITION AND INDICATIONS CALL FOR THE USE OF THIS MEL PROC. OUR ERROR WAS IN NOT VERIFYING THE ABOVE CONCERNS DIRECTLY WITH MAINT -- WHICH I WILL BE CERTAIN TO BE MORE CAREFUL TO DO IN THE FUTURE.

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.