ACFT EQUIP PROB -- ACR WITH AN MEL RESTR LIMITING OP TO DAYLIGHT HRS LANDS AFTER OFFICIAL SUNSET.

Narrative

A FLT ON OUR AIRLINE WAS DISPATCHED 'JAY ONLY' DUE TO EMER OVERWING EXIT LIGHT BEING INOP. FLT DEPARTED NEWARK; NJ; AT XA50 LCL. SUNSET WAS AT XC37 LCL. FLT TIME ENRTE WAS SCHEDULED TO BE 2:27 HRS MAKING THE ARR TIME IN FLL AT XD17; 10 MINS PAST OFFICIAL NIGHT TIME. I THOUGHT THE FLT TIME WAS ADDED TO BLOCK OUT PLUS A FEW MINS FOR TAXI. OUR TAXI TIME WAS 1:09 DUE TO LCL TFC AND WX CONDITIONS. THIS EXCESS TAXI TIME PUT US OVER THE NIGHT TIME RULE BY 10 MINS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE FLC WAS FLYING A B727-200 WITH AN OVERWING EMER EXIT EXTERIOR LIGHT INOP AND THEY WERE RESTR BY THE MEL TO DAYLIGHT OPS ONLY. AN INORDINATE GND TAXI DELAY WAS THE CAUSE FOR THE ACFT LNDG AT ITS DEST APPROX 10 MINS AFTER OFFICIAL SUNSET. BEFORE TKOF THE CAPT KNEW THAT THE FLT WOULD ARRIVE AFTER SUNSET; BUT THOUGHT THAT THE LIGHTING CONDITIONS WERE GOING TO SATISFY THE INTENT OF THE REG. THE FAA HAS NOT CONTACTED THE FLC AND THE CAPT RPTS THAT THE COMPANY HAD A 'WHITE GLOVES' INSPECTION SHORTLY AFTER THIS INCIDENT.