A BELL 206 HELI WAS DISPATCHED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH THE UPPER ANTI-COLLISION DEFERRED AS INOP. SPECIAL PROC ACCOMPLISHED BY THE CAPT.

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ON PREFLT; I OBSERVED THE UPPERMOST OF 2 ANTI-COLLISION LIGHTS INTERMITTENTLY INOP WITH A LOUD BANG OCCURRING ON EACH LIGHT FLASH. I GNDED THE ACFT AND CONSULTED WITH COMPANY MAINT. MAINT DIAGNOSED THE PROB TO BE AN ELECTRICAL ARCING DUE TO A LIKELY BROKEN WIRE OR OTHER BREACH SUCH THAT AN ARC WAS JUMPING TO THE ACT METAL STRUCTURE SOMEWHERE IN THE TAIL. THE APPROVED MEL ALLOWS FOR FLT WITH 1 OF 2 ANTI-COLLISION LIGHTS INOP. TO MAKE THE CONDITION SAFE; THE DECISION WAS MADE TO DISABLE THE UPPER ANTI-COLLISION LIGHT BY UNPLUGGING THE CONNECTION TO ITS PWR SUPPLY. THE NEAREST MECH WAS ELSEWHERE; 90 MINS AWAY. TO RETURN THE AIR AMBULANCE ACFT TO SVC AND ON THE ADVICE OF REGIONAL MAINT AND IN COMPLIANCE WITH THEIR DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS; I CONDUCTED A SIMPLE PROC IN WHICH I OPENED AN ACCESS PANEL (12 SCREWS) AND EASILY UNPLUGGED THE CONNECTION TO THE PWR SUPPLY. THE PLUG WAS SECURED SO AS NOT TO BE LOOSE. I INVENTORIED MY TOOLS; CLOSED THE PANEL; AND DOCUMENTED THE EVENT IN THE ACFT ENGINEERING LOG. MAINT EXPLAINED THAT THIS SIMPLE PROC WAS PERMISSIBLE FOR ME TO ACCOMPLISH PER OUR MEL PROGRAM. I SUBSEQUENTLY LEARNED THAT A SPECIFIC LIST OF PLT ALLOWABLE MAINT ITEMS IS DESCRIBED IN OUR OPS MANUAL. THE SIMPLE PROC I HAD ACCOMPLISHED COULD NOT BE ADDED TO MY 14 CFR PART 135 AUTH MAINT QUALIFICATION CARD; AND IT WAS NOT PERMISSIBLE FOR ME TO HAVE ACCOMPLISHED THIS PROC.