Narrative:

The bulbs were inoperative on the bag cargo switch on the overhead panel. Contract maintenance attempted to re-lamp the switch to prevent an MEL on the system. When the switch was getting pushed back in; the cargo bottle deployed. At that time we had no other choice but to defer the system. The deferral utilized rendered the cargo pit unusable. At that time I notified the equipment coordinator that I was going to have maintenance repair the discrepancy. Once the equipment coordinator was notified; I created a planned tracking sheet to ground the aircraft. Upon arrival at ZZZ; the mechanic working the job notified me of the MEL that we missed. I will have to read the MEL closer. Add a note in the MEL to flag MEL also. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated MEL refers to the cargo pit fire bottle being inoperative or discharged. There just wasn't any reference to that MEL when they used the other MEL for deferral of the cockpit overhead amber warning indication and cargo fire bottle discharge switch. Reporter also noted the correct procedure to test this overhead indication light switch; after re-lamping the light bulb; is to perform the fire warning light test. This procedure would test all 11 warning lights; including the overhead switch for proper illumination.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A MAINT CONTROLLER REPORTS ON MISSING AN ADDITIONAL MEL DEFERRAL PROCEDURE REQUIRED FOR DISPATCH AFTER CONTRACT MAINT ACCIDENTALLY DISCHARGED THE CARGO PIT FIRE BOTTLE ON AN EMB-145.

Narrative: THE BULBS WERE INOP ON THE BAG CARGO SWITCH ON THE OVERHEAD PANEL. CONTRACT MAINT ATTEMPTED TO RE-LAMP THE SWITCH TO PREVENT AN MEL ON THE SYS. WHEN THE SWITCH WAS GETTING PUSHED BACK IN; THE CARGO BOTTLE DEPLOYED. AT THAT TIME WE HAD NO OTHER CHOICE BUT TO DEFER THE SYS. THE DEFERRAL UTILIZED RENDERED THE CARGO PIT UNUSABLE. AT THAT TIME I NOTIFIED THE EQUIP COORDINATOR THAT I WAS GOING TO HAVE MAINT REPAIR THE DISCREPANCY. ONCE THE EQUIP COORDINATOR WAS NOTIFIED; I CREATED A PLANNED TRACKING SHEET TO GND THE ACFT. UPON ARR AT ZZZ; THE MECH WORKING THE JOB NOTIFIED ME OF THE MEL THAT WE MISSED. I WILL HAVE TO READ THE MEL CLOSER. ADD A NOTE IN THE MEL TO FLAG MEL ALSO. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: REPORTER STATED MEL REFERS TO THE CARGO PIT FIRE BOTTLE BEING INOP OR DISCHARGED. THERE JUST WASN'T ANY REFERENCE TO THAT MEL WHEN THEY USED THE OTHER MEL FOR DEFERRAL OF THE COCKPIT OVERHEAD AMBER WARNING INDICATION AND CARGO FIRE BOTTLE DISCHARGE SWITCH. REPORTER ALSO NOTED THE CORRECT PROCEDURE TO TEST THIS OVERHEAD INDICATION LIGHT SWITCH; AFTER RE-LAMPING THE LIGHT BULB; IS TO PERFORM THE FIRE WARNING LIGHT TEST. THIS PROCEDURE WOULD TEST ALL 11 WARNING LIGHTS; INCLUDING THE OVERHEAD SWITCH FOR PROPER ILLUMINATION.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 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.