A C402 WAS DISPATCHED IN DARKNESS IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH A DEFERRED INOP WINGTIP STROBE LIGHT RESTR TO DAYLIGHT FLT ONLY.

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ON AUG/XA/00 I DISPATCHED A COMPANY C402 (XYZ) FOR A NIGHT; IFR PART 91 REPOS FLT FROM ZZZ (UNITED STATES) TO MARTHA'S VINEYARD; MA (MVY). DURING MY PREFLT INSPECTION; I REVIEWED ALL OUTSTANDING MAINT ITEMS IN THE ACFT FLT LOG. I FOUND 1 ITEM THAT HAD BEEN WRITTEN UP AND DEFERRED PER THE COMPANY MEL. THE DEFERRED ITEM WAS 1 WINGTIP STROBE LIGHT (WHITE) BURNED OUT. MY PREFLT INSPECTION FOUND ALL OTHER ACFT LIGHTS (TAXI; LNDG; NAV AND THE RED BEACON LIGHT) ALL WORKING NORMALLY. KNOWING THAT I HAD 1 WORKING RED ANTI-COLLISION LIGHT AND BELIEVING I DID NOT NEED A WHITE ANTI-COLLISION LIGHT (PER FAR 91.205(C)(3) AND 91.205(D)(1); I DISPATCHED THE ACFT FOR A NIGHT IFR REPOS FLT (WITHOUT PAX OR FREIGHT) FROM ZZZ TO MVY. THE FLT WAS COMPLETED WITHOUT ANY INCIDENT. THE FOLLOWING DAY (AUG/XB/00) I READ THE SPECIFIC WORDING IN THE COMPANY MEL REGARDING WHITE WINGTIP STROBES AND I REALIZED FOR THE FIRST TIME THAT THE DEFERMENT WAS ONLY GOOD FOR DAY OPS. THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME I WAS AWARE OF THE DIFFERENCE BTWN OUR COMPANY MEL AND THE FAR 91.205. I IMMEDIATELY NOTIFIED COMPANY OPS AND I ALSO NOTIFIED OUR COMPANY CHIEF PLT WHEN HE RETURNED FROM VACATION ON AUG/XE/00.