A B737-300 was dispatched with the center fuel tank quantity indicator inoperative and deferred per the MEL. Special procedure to disconnect the fuel summation unit was not accomplished.

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Attributes
ACN	668116
Time
Date	200508
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : maintenance ground : parked
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	maintenance : technician
Qualification	technician : powerplant technician : airframe
ASRS Report	668116
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	maintenance : technician
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : non compliance with mel non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : ctr fuel qty ind failed other other : 3
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other other
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : schedule pressure contributing factor : manuals performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements performance deficiency : logbook entry
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Environmental Factor Maintenance Human Performance Aircraft Chart Or Publication
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

Aircraft X reported inoperative center fuel quantity indication (by fuelers). Another technician and I responded to aircraft X's gate call. We both agreed that the center fuel quantity indication was incorrect. He asked me to remove the cannon plug to the fuel summation unit in the cockpit; which I did. I thought this was done as part of a troubleshooting procedure. I reinstalled the cannon plug before leaving the cockpit. I thought this was no help for the problem. He then informed me he was going to MEL the fuel quantity indicator on the center tank. Special procedure requires that the fuel summation cannon plug remain disconnected as part of the MEL. I did not realize that is why he wanted me to remove the cannon plug to the summation unit. That was my mistake; not his. ZZZ maintenance informed him and I that special procedure had not been complied with. They disconnected the cannon plug to the fuel summation unit and documented the logbook that special procedure quantity indicator inoperative was now in compliance.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-300 WAS DISPATCHED WITH THE CTR FUEL TANK QUANTITY INDICATOR INOP AND DEFERRED PER THE MEL. SPECIAL PROC TO DISCONNECT THE FUEL SUMMATION UNIT WAS NOT ACCOMPLISHED.

Narrative: ACFT X RPTED INOP CTR FUEL QUANTITY INDICATION (BY FUELERS). ANOTHER TECHNICIAN AND I RESPONDED TO ACFT X'S GATE CALL. WE BOTH AGREED THAT THE CTR FUEL QUANTITY INDICATION WAS INCORRECT. HE ASKED ME TO REMOVE THE CANNON PLUG TO THE FUEL SUMMATION UNIT IN THE COCKPIT; WHICH I DID. I THOUGHT THIS WAS DONE AS PART OF A TROUBLESHOOTING PROC. I REINSTALLED THE CANNON PLUG BEFORE LEAVING THE COCKPIT. I THOUGHT THIS WAS NO HELP FOR THE PROB. HE THEN INFORMED ME HE WAS GOING TO MEL THE FUEL QUANTITY INDICATOR ON THE CTR TANK. SPECIAL PROC REQUIRES THAT THE FUEL SUMMATION CANNON PLUG REMAIN DISCONNECTED AS PART OF THE MEL. I DID NOT REALIZE THAT IS WHY HE WANTED ME TO REMOVE THE CANNON PLUG TO THE SUMMATION UNIT. THAT WAS MY MISTAKE; NOT HIS. ZZZ MAINT INFORMED HIM AND I THAT SPECIAL PROC HAD NOT BEEN COMPLIED WITH. THEY DISCONNECTED THE CANNON PLUG TO THE FUEL SUMMATION UNIT AND DOCUMENTED THE LOGBOOK THAT SPECIAL PROC QUANTITY INDICATOR INOP WAS NOW IN COMPLIANCE.

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.