Narrative:

Working at air carrier airlines at ZZZ, I discovered that I was involved in a maintenance error involving assembly of a DC10 main wheel with a B727 main skin. The error was discovered in chicago on sep/xa/98 and the wheel was replaced with a correctly assembled unit. In retrospect, I can't believe this happened. To prevent this from happening in the future, we are stenciling the DC10 main and B727 main skins for identify. We are still in the process of shop discussions to evaluate further improvements to the assembly process. Management has discussed with us the severity of the mistake, and in my own defense, 3 different people were involved. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated while it may appear impossible to make this error it can be done easily. The reporter said if a standard DC10 tire and wheel assembly were placed side-by-side with the B727-200 tire on a DC10 wheel, the only discernible difference is the DC10 tire and wheel assembly will stand upright due to being flatter on the bottom. The reporter said the DC10 tire is only 1 inch greater in diameter and 3 inches wider. The major difference is the B727-200 tire is 32 ply and the DC10 is 30 ply. The reporter stated 3 mechanics are assigned to the tire buildup shop and have a total of 90 yrs seniority and none of these mechanics, including the reporter, were ever involved in this type of incident nor could they believe it could happen.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DC10-10 WAS DISCOVERED TO HAVE A B727-200 MAIN TIRE INSTALLED IN #1 FRONT POS. TIRE WAS BUILT UP ON A DC10-10 WHEEL ASSEMBLY.

Narrative: WORKING AT ACR AIRLINES AT ZZZ, I DISCOVERED THAT I WAS INVOLVED IN A MAINT ERROR INVOLVING ASSEMBLY OF A DC10 MAIN WHEEL WITH A B727 MAIN SKIN. THE ERROR WAS DISCOVERED IN CHICAGO ON SEP/XA/98 AND THE WHEEL WAS REPLACED WITH A CORRECTLY ASSEMBLED UNIT. IN RETROSPECT, I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS HAPPENED. TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING IN THE FUTURE, WE ARE STENCILING THE DC10 MAIN AND B727 MAIN SKINS FOR IDENT. WE ARE STILL IN THE PROCESS OF SHOP DISCUSSIONS TO EVALUATE FURTHER IMPROVEMENTS TO THE ASSEMBLY PROCESS. MGMNT HAS DISCUSSED WITH US THE SEVERITY OF THE MISTAKE, AND IN MY OWN DEFENSE, 3 DIFFERENT PEOPLE WERE INVOLVED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED WHILE IT MAY APPEAR IMPOSSIBLE TO MAKE THIS ERROR IT CAN BE DONE EASILY. THE RPTR SAID IF A STANDARD DC10 TIRE AND WHEEL ASSEMBLY WERE PLACED SIDE-BY-SIDE WITH THE B727-200 TIRE ON A DC10 WHEEL, THE ONLY DISCERNIBLE DIFFERENCE IS THE DC10 TIRE AND WHEEL ASSEMBLY WILL STAND UPRIGHT DUE TO BEING FLATTER ON THE BOTTOM. THE RPTR SAID THE DC10 TIRE IS ONLY 1 INCH GREATER IN DIAMETER AND 3 INCHES WIDER. THE MAJOR DIFFERENCE IS THE B727-200 TIRE IS 32 PLY AND THE DC10 IS 30 PLY. THE RPTR STATED 3 MECHS ARE ASSIGNED TO THE TIRE BUILDUP SHOP AND HAVE A TOTAL OF 90 YRS SENIORITY AND NONE OF THESE MECHS, INCLUDING THE RPTR, WERE EVER INVOLVED IN THIS TYPE OF INCIDENT NOR COULD THEY BELIEVE IT COULD HAPPEN.

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.