A maintenance controller inadvertently allows an MEL deferral of a B737-800 captain's L-2 sliding window with arcing and a cracked outer pane. Also directs contract maintenance to sign-off log per maintenance manual.

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Attributes
ACN	794231
Time
Date	200807
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzzz.airport
State Reference	FO
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-800
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	794231
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : improper documentation maintenance problem : improper maintenance maintenance problem : non compliance with mel non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other other : 1
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : manuals contributing factor : briefing performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements performance deficiency : logbook entry
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Maintenance Human Performance Aircraft Chart Or Publication
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

Dispatch reported to me; flight had communicated to him a difficulty with the L-2 window (arcing and appeared to have a cracked outer pane). Airplane arrived at ZZZZ and was met by contract maintenance. He confirmed previous message from dispatch and log report entered by flight crew. I placarded the window heat system per MEL reference to eliminate arcing issues; per dispatch icing was not an impediment to operation. The flight crew indicated vision was not impaired. I instructed the contract mechanic to sign off the item based on information contained in figure of maintenance manual which states the outer pane of this window is non structural protective outer glass pane. I missed the instructional admonition in maintenance manual reference which states 'replace the window if cracks are found in any glass pane.' the error is mine alone; the contractor did as I requested. The airplane departed ZZZZ and completed an uneventful trip to ZZZ where the window and the window heat controller were replaced. System check accomplished ok.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A MAINT CONTROLLER INADVERTENTLY ALLOWS AN MEL DEFERRAL OF A B737-800 CAPTAIN'S L-2 SLIDING WINDOW WITH ARCING AND A CRACKED OUTER PANE. ALSO DIRECTS CONTRACT MAINT TO SIGN-OFF LOG PER MAINT MANUAL.

Narrative: DISPATCH RPTED TO ME; FLT HAD COMMUNICATED TO HIM A DIFFICULTY WITH THE L-2 WINDOW (ARCING AND APPEARED TO HAVE A CRACKED OUTER PANE). AIRPLANE ARRIVED AT ZZZZ AND WAS MET BY CONTRACT MAINT. HE CONFIRMED PREVIOUS MESSAGE FROM DISPATCH AND LOG RPT ENTERED BY FLT CREW. I PLACARDED THE WINDOW HEAT SYS PER MEL REF TO ELIMINATE ARCING ISSUES; PER DISPATCH ICING WAS NOT AN IMPEDIMENT TO OP. THE FLT CREW INDICATED VISION WAS NOT IMPAIRED. I INSTRUCTED THE CONTRACT MECH TO SIGN OFF THE ITEM BASED ON INFO CONTAINED IN FIGURE OF MAINT MANUAL WHICH STATES THE OUTER PANE OF THIS WINDOW IS NON STRUCTURAL PROTECTIVE OUTER GLASS PANE. I MISSED THE INSTRUCTIONAL ADMONITION IN MAINT MANUAL REF WHICH STATES 'REPLACE THE WINDOW IF CRACKS ARE FOUND IN ANY GLASS PANE.' THE ERROR IS MINE ALONE; THE CONTRACTOR DID AS I REQUESTED. THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED ZZZZ AND COMPLETED AN UNEVENTFUL TRIP TO ZZZ WHERE THE WINDOW AND THE WINDOW HEAT CONTROLLER WERE REPLACED. SYS CHK ACCOMPLISHED OK.

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.