Narrative:

I arrived at the aircraft after the 2 mechanics finished researching the part numbers for the actuators; so I confirmed the numbers with the old actuator and parts tag and box part number. All were correct and matched but evidently someone had a long time ago installed the wrong actuator in this flight position and I did not research this but both actuators were installed and check for correct installation and operations and leak checked confirmed and signed off in the maintenance computer and so I was informed last night about this incident. I always try to make sure all parts are correct and conform to the aircraft standards before installation but did not research the past yrs for prior installation of the correct part and did not check the ipc for the correct effectivity. The mechanics had informed me that they had done this prior to ordering the parts so I will in the future pay a lot closer attention to this detail. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated this aircraft has two inboard ground spoilers on rh wing with one hydraulic actuator for each spoiler. Both actuators were changed at heavy maintenance check. The actuator part numbers were not checked with company illustrated parts catalog (ipc) for correct part effectivity. The previous actuator installations were accomplished approximately four years earlier and were not the correct actuators when installed then. Problem arose when mechanic relied on the existing actuator part numbers; assuming they were correct to begin with; which they were not.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ON MD83 ACFT; BOTH INBOARD GROUND SPOILERS ON THE RH WING HAD HYD ACTUATORS REPLACED WITH SAME TYPE OF ACTUATORS. THE PREVIOUS AND REPLACED ACTUATORS WERE INCORRECT.

Narrative: I ARRIVED AT THE ACFT AFTER THE 2 MECHS FINISHED RESEARCHING THE PART NUMBERS FOR THE ACTUATORS; SO I CONFIRMED THE NUMBERS WITH THE OLD ACTUATOR AND PARTS TAG AND BOX PART NUMBER. ALL WERE CORRECT AND MATCHED BUT EVIDENTLY SOMEONE HAD A LONG TIME AGO INSTALLED THE WRONG ACTUATOR IN THIS FLT POS AND I DID NOT RESEARCH THIS BUT BOTH ACTUATORS WERE INSTALLED AND CHK FOR CORRECT INSTALLATION AND OPS AND LEAK CHKED CONFIRMED AND SIGNED OFF IN THE MAINT COMPUTER AND SO I WAS INFORMED LAST NIGHT ABOUT THIS INCIDENT. I ALWAYS TRY TO MAKE SURE ALL PARTS ARE CORRECT AND CONFORM TO THE ACFT STANDARDS BEFORE INSTALLATION BUT DID NOT RESEARCH THE PAST YRS FOR PRIOR INSTALLATION OF THE CORRECT PART AND DID NOT CHK THE IPC FOR THE CORRECT EFFECTIVITY. THE MECHS HAD INFORMED ME THAT THEY HAD DONE THIS PRIOR TO ORDERING THE PARTS SO I WILL IN THE FUTURE PAY A LOT CLOSER ATTN TO THIS DETAIL. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THIS ACFT HAS TWO INBOARD GROUND SPOILERS ON RH WING WITH ONE HYD ACTUATOR FOR EACH SPOILER. BOTH ACTUATORS WERE CHANGED AT HEAVY MAINT CHECK. THE ACTUATOR PART NUMBERS WERE NOT CHECKED WITH COMPANY ILLUSTRATED PARTS CATALOG (IPC) FOR CORRECT PART EFFECTIVITY. THE PREVIOUS ACTUATOR INSTALLATIONS WERE ACCOMPLISHED APPROX FOUR YEARS EARLIER AND WERE NOT THE CORRECT ACTUATORS WHEN INSTALLED THEN. PROBLEM AROSE WHEN MECHANIC RELIED ON THE EXISTING ACTUATOR PART NUMBERS; ASSUMING THEY WERE CORRECT TO BEGIN WITH; WHICH THEY WERE NOT.

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.