Air carrier mechanic report on airline maintenance policy procedural problems in replacing unservice...

Attributes
ACN	344050
Time
Date	199608
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
ASRS Report	344050
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel other oversight : supervisor
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Chart Or Publication
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

While performing an 'a' maintenance check, I replaced halon fire extinguisher due to an expired date of manufacture. I installed a new serviceable unit out of stock per check instructions (note: serviceable unit from stock came with serviceable yellow tag from stock). Due to high workload I did not check new unit's date of manufacture and misinterp inadvertently the serviceable tag's date to be the same as the manufacture's date. (It was only after I spoke with another mechanic did I realize these dates could be different). I spoke with my supervisor and notified him of the problem because the paperwork ('a' check detailed instructions doesn't tell or specify to check the manufacturer's date), and just installing a new serviceable unit per instruction sheet could be wrong. He said there is a committee trying to clarify this problem with different dates, in relation to tracking units, in relation to paperwork, and until it's clarified, or rectified we'll have to double-check all dates as to avoid this type of confusion.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MECH RPT ON AIRLINE MAINT POLICY PROCEDURAL PROBS IN REPLACING UNSERVICEABLE ITEMS ON THE ACFT DURING A CHK 'A' SVC.

Narrative: WHILE PERFORMING AN 'A' MAINT CHK, I REPLACED HALON FIRE EXTINGUISHER DUE TO AN EXPIRED DATE OF MANUFACTURE. I INSTALLED A NEW SERVICEABLE UNIT OUT OF STOCK PER CHK INSTRUCTIONS (NOTE: SERVICEABLE UNIT FROM STOCK CAME WITH SERVICEABLE YELLOW TAG FROM STOCK). DUE TO HIGH WORKLOAD I DID NOT CHK NEW UNIT'S DATE OF MANUFACTURE AND MISINTERP INADVERTENTLY THE SERVICEABLE TAG'S DATE TO BE THE SAME AS THE MANUFACTURE'S DATE. (IT WAS ONLY AFTER I SPOKE WITH ANOTHER MECH DID I REALIZE THESE DATES COULD BE DIFFERENT). I SPOKE WITH MY SUPVR AND NOTIFIED HIM OF THE PROB BECAUSE THE PAPERWORK ('A' CHK DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS DOESN'T TELL OR SPECIFY TO CHK THE MANUFACTURER'S DATE), AND JUST INSTALLING A NEW SERVICEABLE UNIT PER INSTRUCTION SHEET COULD BE WRONG. HE SAID THERE IS A COMMITTEE TRYING TO CLARIFY THIS PROB WITH DIFFERENT DATES, IN RELATION TO TRACKING UNITS, IN RELATION TO PAPERWORK, AND UNTIL IT'S CLARIFIED, OR RECTIFIED WE'LL HAVE TO DOUBLE-CHK ALL DATES AS TO AVOID THIS TYPE OF CONFUSION.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 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.

Air carrier mechanic report on airline maintenance policy procedural problems in replacing unserviceable items on the aircraft during a check 'a' service.