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A B727-200 was dispatched in non compliance with #1 and #3 VHF communication units swapped. #3 was deferred per the MEL. Later found units not interchangeable.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 513935 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200106 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : jfk.tower |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B727-200 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | ground : maintenance |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | oversight : supervisor |
| Qualification | technician : fcc technician : airframe technician : powerplant |
| ASRS Report | 513935 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | maintenance : technician |
| Qualification | technician : airframe technician : powerplant |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : non compliance with mel maintenance problem : improper maintenance maintenance problem : improper documentation non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | other other |
| Factors | |
| Maintenance | contributing factor : manuals performance deficiency : logbook entry performance deficiency : testing performance deficiency : installation performance deficiency : repair |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Maintenance Human Performance Chart Or Publication Aircraft |
| Primary Problem | Chart Or Publication |
Narrative:
Inbound to ZZZ crew reported VHF #1 inoperative. Another controller had FBO ZZZ maintenance swap VHF #1 and VHF #3 and operation check. The FBO called another controller and reported VHF #1 ok, and the controller deferred VHF #3 (ACARS). I saw the deferral item and asked the ZZZ mechanic to verify part numbers of the 2 units to make sure they are the same. He reported they were the same part numbers and I accepted the deferral item. The spare parts allocation stated they were interchangeable, but I found out later that the maintenance manual said they were not, and were physically different. I think the ZZZ mechanic re-racked and did not swap and must have been confused by maintenance control's instructions. I will have the spare parts allocation and the illustrated parts catalog updated to clearly reflect non interchangeable. The next flight to YYY the crew reported operations normal, but we changed both VHF #1 and VHF #3.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A B727-200 WAS DISPATCHED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH #1 AND #3 VHF COM UNITS SWAPPED. #3 WAS DEFERRED PER THE MEL. LATER FOUND UNITS NOT INTERCHANGEABLE.
Narrative: INBOUND TO ZZZ CREW RPTED VHF #1 INOP. ANOTHER CTLR HAD FBO ZZZ MAINT SWAP VHF #1 AND VHF #3 AND OP CHK. THE FBO CALLED ANOTHER CTLR AND RPTED VHF #1 OK, AND THE CTLR DEFERRED VHF #3 (ACARS). I SAW THE DEFERRAL ITEM AND ASKED THE ZZZ MECH TO VERIFY PART NUMBERS OF THE 2 UNITS TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE THE SAME. HE RPTED THEY WERE THE SAME PART NUMBERS AND I ACCEPTED THE DEFERRAL ITEM. THE SPARE PARTS ALLOCATION STATED THEY WERE INTERCHANGEABLE, BUT I FOUND OUT LATER THAT THE MAINT MANUAL SAID THEY WERE NOT, AND WERE PHYSICALLY DIFFERENT. I THINK THE ZZZ MECH RE-RACKED AND DID NOT SWAP AND MUST HAVE BEEN CONFUSED BY MAINT CTL'S INSTRUCTIONS. I WILL HAVE THE SPARE PARTS ALLOCATION AND THE ILLUSTRATED PARTS CATALOG UPDATED TO CLRLY REFLECT NON INTERCHANGEABLE. THE NEXT FLT TO YYY THE CREW RPTED OPS NORMAL, BUT WE CHANGED BOTH VHF #1 AND VHF #3.
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.