Narrative:

At the start of shift; shift foreman told me he had received a phone call from a supervisor. This conversation pertained to a possible CAT III recertification omission thought to have occurred when I had worked on this air carrier. I explained to supervisor and others in the room; that I had indeed performed a CAT III recertification; and that I had documented such on a non routine card. It is this action (the use of a non routine card to document a CAT III recertification); that is the cause of concern to myself and others. I have not found clear evidence that a CAT III recertification must be performed. What I have found is that in maintenance procedures manual chapters 08-07 through 08-10; mt #G34-00-01 is annotated 10 times specifically. And; in mt #G34-00-01; step 6 calls for a logbook page number or discrepancy number. Step 7 of this document then calls for a logbook entry recertifying the aircraft to CAT III. Nowhere in these documents is it conveyed that the job card must be used. Or; that the non routine job card must never be used. Additionally; in maintenance procedures manual 08-09B.1.a.C) states; 'when the above conditions have been met; the aircraft will be recertified for CAT III by entry of the following statement in the aircraft maintenance log. And; maintenance procedures manual 08-10C.7 states; 'extensive maintenance troubleshooting and repairs while in a line environment must be documented in the aircraft logbook or by non routine card(south).' furthermore; maintenance procedures manual 08-10-G.1.a.1) states; 'logbook entries will be made.' finally; maintenance procedures manual 05-16 non routine discrepancy work card explains the use and procedures for the non routine card. It does not; however; state that the non routine card is not to be used for a CAT III recertification. I do not presume to be free of fault or guilt in this event. I realize that I did record the CAT III recertification using the wrong air traffic area code. I most certainly will brush up on my CAT III procedures; including using air traffic area code 34-34. I hope that this report will remove some ambiguity in the CAT III recertification procedure. Perhaps; the ambiguity only presents itself to me. Anyone that I have asked about this says that a 'logbook' entry must be used because the crew needs to see this. However; I respond to that with the fact that logbook pages are periodically removed and; not all maintenance performed is documented in the logbook.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-700 WAS RETURNED TO CAT IIIA AUTOLAND STATUS AND WAS SIGNED OFF ON A NON ROUTINE JOB CARD. TECHNICIAN IS CRITICIZED FOR NOT USING A ROUTINE JOB CARD.

Narrative: AT THE START OF SHIFT; SHIFT FOREMAN TOLD ME HE HAD RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FROM A SUPVR. THIS CONVERSATION PERTAINED TO A POSSIBLE CAT III RECERTIFICATION OMISSION THOUGHT TO HAVE OCCURRED WHEN I HAD WORKED ON THIS ACR. I EXPLAINED TO SUPVR AND OTHERS IN THE ROOM; THAT I HAD INDEED PERFORMED A CAT III RECERTIFICATION; AND THAT I HAD DOCUMENTED SUCH ON A NON ROUTINE CARD. IT IS THIS ACTION (THE USE OF A NON ROUTINE CARD TO DOCUMENT A CAT III RECERTIFICATION); THAT IS THE CAUSE OF CONCERN TO MYSELF AND OTHERS. I HAVE NOT FOUND CLR EVIDENCE THAT A CAT III RECERTIFICATION MUST BE PERFORMED. WHAT I HAVE FOUND IS THAT IN MAINT PROCS MANUAL CHAPTERS 08-07 THROUGH 08-10; MT #G34-00-01 IS ANNOTATED 10 TIMES SPECIFICALLY. AND; IN MT #G34-00-01; STEP 6 CALLS FOR A LOGBOOK PAGE NUMBER OR DISCREPANCY NUMBER. STEP 7 OF THIS DOCUMENT THEN CALLS FOR A LOGBOOK ENTRY RECERTIFYING THE ACFT TO CAT III. NOWHERE IN THESE DOCUMENTS IS IT CONVEYED THAT THE JOB CARD MUST BE USED. OR; THAT THE NON ROUTINE JOB CARD MUST NEVER BE USED. ADDITIONALLY; IN MAINT PROCS MANUAL 08-09B.1.A.C) STATES; 'WHEN THE ABOVE CONDITIONS HAVE BEEN MET; THE ACFT WILL BE RECERTIFIED FOR CAT III BY ENTRY OF THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT IN THE ACFT MAINT LOG. AND; MAINT PROCS MANUAL 08-10C.7 STATES; 'EXTENSIVE MAINT TROUBLESHOOTING AND REPAIRS WHILE IN A LINE ENVIRONMENT MUST BE DOCUMENTED IN THE ACFT LOGBOOK OR BY NON ROUTINE CARD(S).' FURTHERMORE; MAINT PROCS MANUAL 08-10-G.1.A.1) STATES; 'LOGBOOK ENTRIES WILL BE MADE.' FINALLY; MAINT PROCS MANUAL 05-16 NON ROUTINE DISCREPANCY WORK CARD EXPLAINS THE USE AND PROCS FOR THE NON ROUTINE CARD. IT DOES NOT; HOWEVER; STATE THAT THE NON ROUTINE CARD IS NOT TO BE USED FOR A CAT III RECERTIFICATION. I DO NOT PRESUME TO BE FREE OF FAULT OR GUILT IN THIS EVENT. I REALIZE THAT I DID RECORD THE CAT III RECERTIFICATION USING THE WRONG ATA CODE. I MOST CERTAINLY WILL BRUSH UP ON MY CAT III PROCS; INCLUDING USING ATA CODE 34-34. I HOPE THAT THIS RPT WILL REMOVE SOME AMBIGUITY IN THE CAT III RECERTIFICATION PROC. PERHAPS; THE AMBIGUITY ONLY PRESENTS ITSELF TO ME. ANYONE THAT I HAVE ASKED ABOUT THIS SAYS THAT A 'LOGBOOK' ENTRY MUST BE USED BECAUSE THE CREW NEEDS TO SEE THIS. HOWEVER; I RESPOND TO THAT WITH THE FACT THAT LOGBOOK PAGES ARE PERIODICALLY REMOVED AND; NOT ALL MAINT PERFORMED IS DOCUMENTED IN THE LOGBOOK.

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.