A B737-700 arrived at gate with lower fuselage VHF antenna just aft of the main wheel well missing. Station deferred #3 VHF antenna per MEL. Later discovered antenna is #2 VHF communication. Cannot be deferred.

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Attributes
ACN	638936
Time
Date	200412
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-700
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : parked
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	oversight : coordinator
ASRS Report	638936
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	maintenance : technician
ASRS Report	638937
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : improper documentation maintenance problem : improper maintenance maintenance problem : non compliance with mel non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other other : 3
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other other other
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : schedule pressure performance deficiency : fault isolation performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements performance deficiency : logbook entry performance deficiency : repair
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Maintenance Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance Chart Or Publication Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Aircraft arrived with missing antenna just aft of the main wheel well, which was originally believed to be an air phone antenna. Maintenance determined it was actually a VHF communication antenna. The coax connector was broken off and the antenna was reinstalled. Believing this to be the #3 antenna, I had ZZZ1 maintenance defer the ACARS system per MEL 23-9. The decision was based on knowledge of the classic B737. The aircraft departed to ZZZ2 and shortly after takeoff the crew noticed the #2 VHF communication was inoperative but continued to ZZZ2. On the ground, the crew notified me through dispatch of the problem, which is when I realized the mistake of antenna position. The aircraft was taken OTS and parts and tooling sent from ZZZ to repair it. Prior to arrival in ZZZ2, maintenance was not aware of any #2 communication problems nor were any reported in maintenance log.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-700 ARRIVED AT GATE WITH LOWER FUSELAGE VHF ANTENNA JUST AFT OF THE MAIN WHEEL WELL MISSING. STATION DEFERRED #3 VHF ANTENNA PER MEL. LATER DISCOVERED ANTENNA IS #2 VHF COM. CANNOT BE DEFERRED.

Narrative: ACFT ARRIVED WITH MISSING ANTENNA JUST AFT OF THE MAIN WHEEL WELL, WHICH WAS ORIGINALLY BELIEVED TO BE AN AIR PHONE ANTENNA. MAINT DETERMINED IT WAS ACTUALLY A VHF COM ANTENNA. THE COAX CONNECTOR WAS BROKEN OFF AND THE ANTENNA WAS REINSTALLED. BELIEVING THIS TO BE THE #3 ANTENNA, I HAD ZZZ1 MAINT DEFER THE ACARS SYS PER MEL 23-9. THE DECISION WAS BASED ON KNOWLEDGE OF THE CLASSIC B737. THE ACFT DEPARTED TO ZZZ2 AND SHORTLY AFTER TKOF THE CREW NOTICED THE #2 VHF COM WAS INOP BUT CONTINUED TO ZZZ2. ON THE GND, THE CREW NOTIFIED ME THROUGH DISPATCH OF THE PROB, WHICH IS WHEN I REALIZED THE MISTAKE OF ANTENNA POS. THE ACFT WAS TAKEN OTS AND PARTS AND TOOLING SENT FROM ZZZ TO REPAIR IT. PRIOR TO ARR IN ZZZ2, MAINT WAS NOT AWARE OF ANY #2 COM PROBS NOR WERE ANY RPTED IN MAINT LOG.

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.