A B737-300 was dispatched in non compliance with a right body overheat system fault. Right pack was deferred as inoperative to avoid overheat warning.

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Attributes
ACN	613854
Time
Date	200404
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : maintenance
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel other
ASRS Report	613854
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	maintenance : technician
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : non compliance with mel maintenance problem : improper documentation maintenance problem : improper maintenance non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : rt body overheat other other : person 2
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other other
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : schedule pressure contributing factor : manuals performance deficiency : repair performance deficiency : fault isolation performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements performance deficiency : logbook entry
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Chart Or Publication Flight Crew Human Performance Maintenance Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance
Situations
Publication	MINIMUM EQUIP LIST

Narrative:

On the night of apr/tue/04 at approximately XA45, I received a call from ZZZ1 line maintenance asking if we could MEL the r-hand pack on aircraft. I placed the mechanic on hold and called dispatch. Dispatcher said it was ok. I hung up with the dispatcher and picked back up the line with the mechanic. I told the mechanic it was ok. I then asked the mechanic what we had. He explained the right pack caused a wing to body overheat. I asked, 'a wing to body overheat or pack overheat?' he seemed unsure and said there were no leaks. I don't remember the exact words, but after going back and forth a little, I finally asked 'what system do we have to MEL?' I also asked what the write-up stated. He said it wasn't written up yet. He finally said we needed to MEL the pack. So I did. The mechanic, the flight crew and a second flight crew accepted the MEL. Third flight crew questioned the MEL and after a total of 4 flts, item was fixed. The contributing factor was my lack of assertiveness and failure to follow proper feedback procedures. This was caused by my complacency.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-300 WAS DISPATCHED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH A R BODY OVERHEAT SYS FAULT. R PACK WAS DEFERRED AS INOP TO AVOID OVERHEAT WARNING.

Narrative: ON THE NIGHT OF APR/TUE/04 AT APPROX XA45, I RECEIVED A CALL FROM ZZZ1 LINE MAINT ASKING IF WE COULD MEL THE R-HAND PACK ON ACFT. I PLACED THE MECH ON HOLD AND CALLED DISPATCH. DISPATCHER SAID IT WAS OK. I HUNG UP WITH THE DISPATCHER AND PICKED BACK UP THE LINE WITH THE MECH. I TOLD THE MECH IT WAS OK. I THEN ASKED THE MECH WHAT WE HAD. HE EXPLAINED THE R PACK CAUSED A WING TO BODY OVERHEAT. I ASKED, 'A WING TO BODY OVERHEAT OR PACK OVERHEAT?' HE SEEMED UNSURE AND SAID THERE WERE NO LEAKS. I DON'T REMEMBER THE EXACT WORDS, BUT AFTER GOING BACK AND FORTH A LITTLE, I FINALLY ASKED 'WHAT SYS DO WE HAVE TO MEL?' I ALSO ASKED WHAT THE WRITE-UP STATED. HE SAID IT WASN'T WRITTEN UP YET. HE FINALLY SAID WE NEEDED TO MEL THE PACK. SO I DID. THE MECH, THE FLT CREW AND A SECOND FLT CREW ACCEPTED THE MEL. THIRD FLT CREW QUESTIONED THE MEL AND AFTER A TOTAL OF 4 FLTS, ITEM WAS FIXED. THE CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS MY LACK OF ASSERTIVENESS AND FAILURE TO FOLLOW PROPER FEEDBACK PROCS. THIS WAS CAUSED BY MY COMPLACENCY.

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.