An EMB145 technician reports receiving a letter of investigation from the FAA for replacing a window heat controller on the same airplane a second time.

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Attributes
ACN	656034
Time
Date	200502
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	EMB ERJ 145 ER&LR
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	maintenance : technician
ASRS Report	656034
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : improper maintenance maintenance problem : improper documentation non adherence : company policies non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : window heat fail warning other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other other
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : non availability of parts performance deficiency : installation performance deficiency : logbook entry performance deficiency : repair performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Maintenance Human Performance Aircraft Company FAA
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

I received a letter of investigation from the FAA for installing a west/south temperature controller on the #1 side; which had been previously replaced. It states my action is in conflict with gpm 12-00; handling of repeat discrepancies. Start tracking faulty parts from the vendors that keep recirculating back to parts with 'no fault found.' callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter did not take the FAA letter of investigation and took immediate action. The reporter documented the window heat controller's serial numbers passing through stores and came up with units repaired with 'no fault found' continuously cycling through the system. The problem was then taken to management and the 'no fault found' units' serial numbers were presented. Embraer was advised the carrier would no longer take a reworked unit and must receive a new unused unit. The reporter believes the FAA is involved but has little faith in the safety inspector he was dealing with.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN EMB145 TECHNICIAN RPTS RECEIVING A LETTER OF INVESTIGATION FROM THE FAA FOR REPLACING A WINDOW HEAT CTLR ON THE SAME AIRPLANE A SECOND TIME.

Narrative: I RECEIVED A LETTER OF INVESTIGATION FROM THE FAA FOR INSTALLING A W/S TEMP CTLR ON THE #1 SIDE; WHICH HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY REPLACED. IT STATES MY ACTION IS IN CONFLICT WITH GPM 12-00; HANDLING OF REPEAT DISCREPANCIES. START TRACKING FAULTY PARTS FROM THE VENDORS THAT KEEP RECIRCULATING BACK TO PARTS WITH 'NO FAULT FOUND.' CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR DID NOT TAKE THE FAA LETTER OF INVESTIGATION AND TOOK IMMEDIATE ACTION. THE RPTR DOCUMENTED THE WINDOW HEAT CTLR'S SERIAL NUMBERS PASSING THROUGH STORES AND CAME UP WITH UNITS REPAIRED WITH 'NO FAULT FOUND' CONTINUOUSLY CYCLING THROUGH THE SYSTEM. THE PROB WAS THEN TAKEN TO MANAGEMENT AND THE 'NO FAULT FOUND' UNITS' SERIAL NUMBERS WERE PRESENTED. EMBRAER WAS ADVISED THE CARRIER WOULD NO LONGER TAKE A REWORKED UNIT AND MUST RECEIVE A NEW UNUSED UNIT. THE RPTR BELIEVES THE FAA IS INVOLVED BUT HAS LITTLE FAITH IN THE SAFETY INSPECTOR HE WAS DEALING WITH.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.