Narrative:

The topic arose when at the beginning of the shift I was shorthanded; so I assigned one of the mechanics who had come back from layoff and which I had worked with in the past to do an overnight check and to install the comparator as requested by planning and I would sign off the logbook. I did not realize that the comparator was a CAT item and did not look up its status because of other work being performed on other aircraft assigned to my crew. I used poor judgement not to take into account that the mechanic had not worked line maintenance in 2 yrs (base maintenance) crew and I should have taken more time to familiarize myself with the system before I signed for it. On jun/sat/05 aircraft X; an instrument comparator was replaced. Per job card X; steps #3 and #9 were to be accomplished because the comparator is a CAT item. Job card item was signed off as removed and replaced. No further functional check per the card was accomplished to certify the system as CAT. Also no CAT statement was signed off to certify the aircraft as CAT. Not sure how many flight legs were completed; the aircraft routine overnight in ZZZ2 for jun/sun. Maintenance control was notified and the CAT was downgraded.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-300 HAD THE INST COMPARATOR REPLACED DURING A MAINT CHK. UNIT REQUIRED AUTOLAND CAT IIIA TEST. NOT ACCOMPLISHED.

Narrative: THE TOPIC AROSE WHEN AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SHIFT I WAS SHORTHANDED; SO I ASSIGNED ONE OF THE MECHS WHO HAD COME BACK FROM LAYOFF AND WHICH I HAD WORKED WITH IN THE PAST TO DO AN OVERNIGHT CHK AND TO INSTALL THE COMPARATOR AS REQUESTED BY PLANNING AND I WOULD SIGN OFF THE LOGBOOK. I DID NOT REALIZE THAT THE COMPARATOR WAS A CAT ITEM AND DID NOT LOOK UP ITS STATUS BECAUSE OF OTHER WORK BEING PERFORMED ON OTHER ACFT ASSIGNED TO MY CREW. I USED POOR JUDGEMENT NOT TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THAT THE MECH HAD NOT WORKED LINE MAINT IN 2 YRS (BASE MAINT) CREW AND I SHOULD HAVE TAKEN MORE TIME TO FAMILIARIZE MYSELF WITH THE SYS BEFORE I SIGNED FOR IT. ON JUN/SAT/05 ACFT X; AN INST COMPARATOR WAS REPLACED. PER JOB CARD X; STEPS #3 AND #9 WERE TO BE ACCOMPLISHED BECAUSE THE COMPARATOR IS A CAT ITEM. JOB CARD ITEM WAS SIGNED OFF AS REMOVED AND REPLACED. NO FURTHER FUNCTIONAL CHK PER THE CARD WAS ACCOMPLISHED TO CERTIFY THE SYS AS CAT. ALSO NO CAT STATEMENT WAS SIGNED OFF TO CERTIFY THE ACFT AS CAT. NOT SURE HOW MANY FLT LEGS WERE COMPLETED; THE ACFT ROUTINE OVERNIGHT IN ZZZ2 FOR JUN/SUN. MAINT CTL WAS NOTIFIED AND THE CAT WAS DOWNGRADED.

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.