Narrative:

We were issued an engineering order to inspect the wiring behind the generator-bus circuit breaker panels located in the cockpit behind the captain's seat on all MD88's. On two particular aircraft (the only aircraft I inspected), I had asked my lead mechanic for assistance in determining how to interpret the engineering order and the wiring for problems. I inspected the required areas and found no defects. However, after reviewing some pictures sent to me via e-mail of other aircraft, I found that I had looked for the incorrect problem on certain wiring. I am certain that the 2 aircraft I inspected have good wiring but, the mentioned protective anti-chafing measures were not done. This is because according to our interpretation of the engineering order, wiring in that area was already protected with anti-chafing tape/sleeving. This however was the wrong wiring for us to inspect. Had we received pictorial drawings of the wiring we were to inspect and apply anti-chafing protection to, we would not have this situation.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD88 REQUIRED INSPECTION OF WIRING BEHIND THE GENERATOR CTL PANELS. WAS NOT ACCOMPLISHED, DUE TO CONFUSING ENGINEERING ORDER INSTRUCTIONS.

Narrative: WE WERE ISSUED AN ENGINEERING ORDER TO INSPECT THE WIRING BEHIND THE GENERATOR-BUS CIRCUIT BREAKER PANELS LOCATED IN THE COCKPIT BEHIND THE CAPT'S SEAT ON ALL MD88'S. ON TWO PARTICULAR ACFT (THE ONLY ACFT I INSPECTED), I HAD ASKED MY LEAD MECH FOR ASSISTANCE IN DETERMINING HOW TO INTERPRET THE ENGINEERING ORDER AND THE WIRING FOR PROBS. I INSPECTED THE REQUIRED AREAS AND FOUND NO DEFECTS. HOWEVER, AFTER REVIEWING SOME PICTURES SENT TO ME VIA E-MAIL OF OTHER ACFT, I FOUND THAT I HAD LOOKED FOR THE INCORRECT PROB ON CERTAIN WIRING. I AM CERTAIN THAT THE 2 ACFT I INSPECTED HAVE GOOD WIRING BUT, THE MENTIONED PROTECTIVE ANTI-CHAFING MEASURES WERE NOT DONE. THIS IS BECAUSE ACCORDING TO OUR INTERP OF THE ENGINEERING ORDER, WIRING IN THAT AREA WAS ALREADY PROTECTED WITH ANTI-CHAFING TAPE/SLEEVING. THIS HOWEVER WAS THE WRONG WIRING FOR US TO INSPECT. HAD WE RECEIVED PICTORIAL DRAWINGS OF THE WIRING WE WERE TO INSPECT AND APPLY ANTI-CHAFING PROTECTION TO, WE WOULD NOT HAVE THIS SIT.

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.