A B737-300 crew have a yaw dampener that failed on pushback MEL'ed before takeoff.

Attributes
ACN	811414
Time
Date	200811
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
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
Aircraft 2
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time type : 2100
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 265 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	811409
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe maintenance problem : non compliance with mel non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure non adherence : company policies
Independent Detector	other other : asst chief pilot
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : schedule pressure performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements performance deficiency : logbook entry
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Today I received a call from our assistant chief pilot. He called to tell me that we were procedurally incorrect in the way the captain and I handled an MEL situation in ZZZ yesterday morning. The captain and I both interpreted and thought that once an aircraft was off the gate and ready for taxi; that the progression of flight was initiated and therefore a yaw damper fail light that illuminated could be MEL'ed upon arrival. The acp told us that our MEL should have been taken care of prior to takeoff and that initiation of flight is considered when the thrust levers are pushed forward for takeoff roll. This being the case; we inadvertently did not follow SOP. Our misstep occurred due to our misinterp of procedures stated in the fom and what constitutes movement for the purpose of flight. Taking a little extra time on the ground in ZZZ and erring on the side of caution would have alleviated the whole issue. Supplemental information from acn 811409: I thought that after you were on your own power; you stayed with the QRH. After arriving in ZZZ1; maintenance fixed the yaw damper. Make it more clear in the fom about this problem.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-300 CREW HAVE A YAW DAMPENER THAT FAILED ON PUSHBACK MEL'ED BEFORE TAKEOFF.

Narrative: TODAY I RECEIVED A CALL FROM OUR ASSISTANT CHIEF PLT. HE CALLED TO TELL ME THAT WE WERE PROCEDURALLY INCORRECT IN THE WAY THE CAPT AND I HANDLED AN MEL SITUATION IN ZZZ YESTERDAY MORNING. THE CAPT AND I BOTH INTERPED AND THOUGHT THAT ONCE AN ACFT WAS OFF THE GATE AND READY FOR TAXI; THAT THE PROGRESSION OF FLT WAS INITIATED AND THEREFORE A YAW DAMPER FAIL LIGHT THAT ILLUMINATED COULD BE MEL'ED UPON ARR. THE ACP TOLD US THAT OUR MEL SHOULD HAVE BEEN TAKEN CARE OF PRIOR TO TKOF AND THAT INITIATION OF FLT IS CONSIDERED WHEN THE THRUST LEVERS ARE PUSHED FORWARD FOR TKOF ROLL. THIS BEING THE CASE; WE INADVERTENTLY DID NOT FOLLOW SOP. OUR MISSTEP OCCURRED DUE TO OUR MISINTERP OF PROCS STATED IN THE FOM AND WHAT CONSTITUTES MOVEMENT FOR THE PURPOSE OF FLT. TAKING A LITTLE EXTRA TIME ON THE GND IN ZZZ AND ERRING ON THE SIDE OF CAUTION WOULD HAVE ALLEVIATED THE WHOLE ISSUE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 811409: I THOUGHT THAT AFTER YOU WERE ON YOUR OWN PWR; YOU STAYED WITH THE QRH. AFTER ARRIVING IN ZZZ1; MAINT FIXED THE YAW DAMPER. MAKE IT MORE CLR IN THE FOM ABOUT THIS PROB.

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.