A B727 was dispatched in non compliance with the wrong fuel xfeed valve rendered inoperative per the...

Attributes
ACN	550854
Time
Date	200206
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : zzz.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	maintenance : technician
Qualification	technician : powerplant technician : airframe
Experience	maintenance technician : 13.5
ASRS Report	550854
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : non compliance with mel non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : diverted to another airport
Consequence	other
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : schedule pressure performance deficiency : logbook entry performance deficiency : testing performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Maintenance Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft Chart Or Publication
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance
Situations
Publication	MEL

Narrative:

Pilot pointed out valve that was inoperative. Pilot said valve was #3 engine fuel xfeed (valve was really #1 engine xfeed valve). Mechanic took pilot's word and safetied and disconnected valve, which was #1 valve. Mechanic did not ask for paperwork or doublechk with maintenance controller on correct valve. Maintenance controller did not doublechk mechanic on knowing location of correct valve. Mechanic signed off logbook with MEL per 28-00-07. Upon climb out, pilot noticed 1200 pound fuel imbal. Declared in-flight emergency. Landed with no incident. Found mechanic safetied wrong valve open.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B727 WAS DISPATCHED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH THE WRONG FUEL XFEED VALVE RENDERED INOP PER THE MEL.

Narrative: PLT POINTED OUT VALVE THAT WAS INOP. PLT SAID VALVE WAS #3 ENG FUEL XFEED (VALVE WAS REALLY #1 ENG XFEED VALVE). MECH TOOK PLT'S WORD AND SAFETIED AND DISCONNECTED VALVE, WHICH WAS #1 VALVE. MECH DID NOT ASK FOR PAPERWORK OR DOUBLECHK WITH MAINT CTLR ON CORRECT VALVE. MAINT CTLR DID NOT DOUBLECHK MECH ON KNOWING LOCATION OF CORRECT VALVE. MECH SIGNED OFF LOGBOOK WITH MEL PER 28-00-07. UPON CLBOUT, PLT NOTICED 1200 LB FUEL IMBAL. DECLARED INFLT EMER. LANDED WITH NO INCIDENT. FOUND MECH SAFETIED WRONG VALVE OPEN.

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.

A B727 was dispatched in non compliance with the wrong fuel xfeed valve rendered inoperative per the MEL.