A B737-500 APU starter was replaced for time. Old starter was inadvertently reinstalled.

Attributes
ACN	660918
Time
Date	200506
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : anc.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-500
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : maintenance
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	maintenance : technician
Qualification	technician : powerplant technician : airframe
Experience	maintenance technician : 20
ASRS Report	660918
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe maintenance problem : improper maintenance maintenance problem : improper documentation non adherence : far non adherence : company policies non adherence : published procedure
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : lighting performance deficiency : scheduled maintenance performance deficiency : installation performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements performance deficiency : logbook entry performance deficiency : inspection
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Environmental Factor Maintenance Human Performance
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

I was to replace APU starter for time. Removed old starter from APU and then removed new starter from box. With both lying side-by-side on the lift truck; I was filling out parts tag with the old and new information required. Left work area for about 15 mins. Came back and mistakenly picked up old starter and installed on APU thinking it was the new starter.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-500 APU STARTER WAS REPLACED FOR TIME. OLD STARTER WAS INADVERTENTLY REINSTALLED.

Narrative: I WAS TO REPLACE APU STARTER FOR TIME. REMOVED OLD STARTER FROM APU AND THEN REMOVED NEW STARTER FROM BOX. WITH BOTH LYING SIDE-BY-SIDE ON THE LIFT TRUCK; I WAS FILLING OUT PARTS TAG WITH THE OLD AND NEW INFO REQUIRED. LEFT WORK AREA FOR ABOUT 15 MINS. CAME BACK AND MISTAKENLY PICKED UP OLD STARTER AND INSTALLED ON APU THINKING IT WAS THE NEW STARTER.

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.