Narrative:

I began my normal work week on tue/apr at xa:00 pm, as a general inspector. During the shift we had a problem with an engine which was going to take some time to finish. No mechanics wanted to stay on O/T to work the problem, so I did. The job took 20+ hours and I returned to my regular position on thu/apr as an inspector. I then began to receive tires that were delivered that day. During the receiving process (no secure area) mechanics sometimes grab tires from the area (small) where tires are stored, 'no' definite area for each. (Received or delivered). I did my receiving and somehow, either through fatigue or disorientation I placed/received 1 or 2 each nose tires, with incorrect (parts tag). Not to make excuses, I usually/always match the parts tag to the south/north and P/north on each item as required, but distractions set in, and the area I have to work in has 'no' light. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the aircraft tires and wheels are built up at a local approved vendor and an FAA required serviceable parts tag attached. The reporter said the tag indicates all required inspections on the wheel have been accomplished. The reporter stated this procedure has now changed and the vendor now keeps the tag per the FAA order to document the required inspections. The reporter said the carrier now has no record of the required inspections being accomplished. The reporter stated in this incident the reporter was assigned to inspect the received wheel and tire assemblies and put the correct carriers serviceable parts tag on assembly. The reporter said through fatigue or disorientation the incorrect parts tags were inadvertently attached to two nose gear wheel and tire assemblies. The reporter stated the vendor tag was always matched with the company serviceable parts tag, but this backup identification is now gone. The reporter said the serviceable tires are not placed in aircraft type storage bins and the difference between a B737-700 and a B737-300 is only .0625 in diameter. The reporter stated the same wheel is used on both airplanes, but the B737-700 tire is a radial tire and is the larger. The reporter said the technicians on one shift are not checking the part numbers on the wheel and tire assemblies prior to installation and the job card does not list this data. The reporter stated the carrier does not own the tire wheel assemblies, but leases this equipment and as a result a lot of tires are changed.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN INSPECTOR RPTS ATTACHING THE INCORRECT PARTS TAGS TO A PAIR OF B737 NOSE TIRE, AND WHEEL ASSEMBLIES. B737 MODEL TIRES UNKNOWN.

Narrative: I BEGAN MY NORMAL WORK WEEK ON TUE/APR AT XA:00 PM, AS A GENERAL INSPECTOR. DURING THE SHIFT WE HAD A PROB WITH AN ENG WHICH WAS GOING TO TAKE SOME TIME TO FINISH. NO MECHS WANTED TO STAY ON O/T TO WORK THE PROB, SO I DID. THE JOB TOOK 20+ HRS AND I RETURNED TO MY REGULAR POS ON THU/APR AS AN INSPECTOR. I THEN BEGAN TO RECEIVE TIRES THAT WERE DELIVERED THAT DAY. DURING THE RECEIVING PROCESS (NO SECURE AREA) MECHS SOMETIMES GRAB TIRES FROM THE AREA (SMALL) WHERE TIRES ARE STORED, 'NO' DEFINITE AREA FOR EACH. (RECEIVED OR DELIVERED). I DID MY RECEIVING AND SOMEHOW, EITHER THROUGH FATIGUE OR DISORIENTATION I PLACED/RECEIVED 1 OR 2 EACH NOSE TIRES, WITH INCORRECT (PARTS TAG). NOT TO MAKE EXCUSES, I USUALLY/ALWAYS MATCH THE PARTS TAG TO THE S/N AND P/N ON EACH ITEM AS REQUIRED, BUT DISTRACTIONS SET IN, AND THE AREA I HAVE TO WORK IN HAS 'NO' LIGHT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE ACFT TIRES AND WHEELS ARE BUILT UP AT A LOCAL APPROVED VENDOR AND AN FAA REQUIRED SERVICEABLE PARTS TAG ATTACHED. THE RPTR SAID THE TAG INDICATES ALL REQUIRED INSPECTIONS ON THE WHEEL HAVE BEEN ACCOMPLISHED. THE RPTR STATED THIS PROC HAS NOW CHANGED AND THE VENDOR NOW KEEPS THE TAG PER THE FAA ORDER TO DOCUMENT THE REQUIRED INSPECTIONS. THE RPTR SAID THE CARRIER NOW HAS NO RECORD OF THE REQUIRED INSPECTIONS BEING ACCOMPLISHED. THE RPTR STATED IN THIS INCIDENT THE RPTR WAS ASSIGNED TO INSPECT THE RECEIVED WHEEL AND TIRE ASSEMBLIES AND PUT THE CORRECT CARRIERS SERVICEABLE PARTS TAG ON ASSEMBLY. THE RPTR SAID THROUGH FATIGUE OR DISORIENTATION THE INCORRECT PARTS TAGS WERE INADVERTENTLY ATTACHED TO TWO NOSE GEAR WHEEL AND TIRE ASSEMBLIES. THE RPTR STATED THE VENDOR TAG WAS ALWAYS MATCHED WITH THE COMPANY SERVICEABLE PARTS TAG, BUT THIS BACKUP IDENTIFICATION IS NOW GONE. THE RPTR SAID THE SERVICEABLE TIRES ARE NOT PLACED IN ACFT TYPE STORAGE BINS AND THE DIFFERENCE BTWN A B737-700 AND A B737-300 IS ONLY .0625 IN DIAMETER. THE RPTR STATED THE SAME WHEEL IS USED ON BOTH AIRPLANES, BUT THE B737-700 TIRE IS A RADIAL TIRE AND IS THE LARGER. THE RPTR SAID THE TECHNICIANS ON ONE SHIFT ARE NOT CHECKING THE PART NUMBERS ON THE WHEEL AND TIRE ASSEMBLIES PRIOR TO INSTALLATION AND THE JOB CARD DOES NOT LIST THIS DATA. THE RPTR STATED THE CARRIER DOES NOT OWN THE TIRE WHEEL ASSEMBLIES, BUT LEASES THIS EQUIP AND AS A RESULT A LOT OF TIRES ARE CHANGED.

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.