Narrative:

I was assigned both line and hangar row inspection duties; 3 each aircraft were issued the engine fuel suction feed. The aircraft were assigned to line ron. I asked the mechanics to call when they were ready to perform the test; due I had a heavy workload in the hangar. I went to the line and observed the test per the maintenance task. All 3 passed the test per the maintenance task and I stamped off the step for the test. Aircraft was assigned the same maintenance task. The mechanic assigned informed me that the test could not be accomplished due the aircraft had too much fuel on board. He showed me the step on the maintenance task of which he was referring and that is when I discovered that a specific fuel load was required to accomplish the test properly. I had not known this as there is no inspection requirement to verify the fuel load on the maintenance task. I thought the aircraft tested had more fuel than specified; but could not be certain. Wanting to ensure we had accomplished the test properly; I voiced my concerns to my supervisor and asked if he could have the maintenance tasks reissued to the aircraft tested. Spoke to my manager about my concerns. Researched the situation by speaking with the fuelers and checking the logbooks and found that all 3 aircraft had more fuel on board than specified for the test performed. All 3 aircraft were removed from service so the test could be performed with the specified fuel load. Supplemental information from acn 798644: I knew the mechanic was not taxi/run qualified so I offered to do his engine fuel suction feed test. The engines ran the full 7 mins with no problems. This is the first time I had done this test. The only reason I can think of for my misreading of this task was being in a hurry. Supplemental information from acn 798645: there was more fuel in the wing tanks than what was permitted for the task. I assumed by reading the maintenance task that we were checking the wing boost pumps and engine fuel feed suction. I xferred fuel into the center tank to get the values I needed in the wing tanks assuming that step 1(C) tank-to-tank xfer was ok.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN INSPECTOR AND TWO MECHANICS REPORT ABOUT SIGNING OFF WING FUEL BOOST PUMPS AND ENG FUEL SUCTION FEED MAINT TASK CARDS FOR THREE B737-700 ACFT; NOT REALIZING TOO MUCH FUEL WAS ONBOARD TO ACCOMPLISH TASKS.

Narrative: I WAS ASSIGNED BOTH LINE AND HANGAR ROW INSPECTION DUTIES; 3 EACH ACFT WERE ISSUED THE ENG FUEL SUCTION FEED. THE ACFT WERE ASSIGNED TO LINE RON. I ASKED THE MECHS TO CALL WHEN THEY WERE READY TO PERFORM THE TEST; DUE I HAD A HVY WORKLOAD IN THE HANGAR. I WENT TO THE LINE AND OBSERVED THE TEST PER THE MAINT TASK. ALL 3 PASSED THE TEST PER THE MAINT TASK AND I STAMPED OFF THE STEP FOR THE TEST. ACFT WAS ASSIGNED THE SAME MAINT TASK. THE MECH ASSIGNED INFORMED ME THAT THE TEST COULD NOT BE ACCOMPLISHED DUE THE ACFT HAD TOO MUCH FUEL ON BOARD. HE SHOWED ME THE STEP ON THE MAINT TASK OF WHICH HE WAS REFERRING AND THAT IS WHEN I DISCOVERED THAT A SPECIFIC FUEL LOAD WAS REQUIRED TO ACCOMPLISH THE TEST PROPERLY. I HAD NOT KNOWN THIS AS THERE IS NO INSPECTION REQUIREMENT TO VERIFY THE FUEL LOAD ON THE MAINT TASK. I THOUGHT THE ACFT TESTED HAD MORE FUEL THAN SPECIFIED; BUT COULD NOT BE CERTAIN. WANTING TO ENSURE WE HAD ACCOMPLISHED THE TEST PROPERLY; I VOICED MY CONCERNS TO MY SUPVR AND ASKED IF HE COULD HAVE THE MAINT TASKS REISSUED TO THE ACFT TESTED. SPOKE TO MY MGR ABOUT MY CONCERNS. RESEARCHED THE SITUATION BY SPEAKING WITH THE FUELERS AND CHKING THE LOGBOOKS AND FOUND THAT ALL 3 ACFT HAD MORE FUEL ON BOARD THAN SPECIFIED FOR THE TEST PERFORMED. ALL 3 ACFT WERE REMOVED FROM SVC SO THE TEST COULD BE PERFORMED WITH THE SPECIFIED FUEL LOAD. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 798644: I KNEW THE MECH WAS NOT TAXI/RUN QUALIFIED SO I OFFERED TO DO HIS ENG FUEL SUCTION FEED TEST. THE ENGS RAN THE FULL 7 MINS WITH NO PROBS. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I HAD DONE THIS TEST. THE ONLY REASON I CAN THINK OF FOR MY MISREADING OF THIS TASK WAS BEING IN A HURRY. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 798645: THERE WAS MORE FUEL IN THE WING TANKS THAN WHAT WAS PERMITTED FOR THE TASK. I ASSUMED BY READING THE MAINT TASK THAT WE WERE CHKING THE WING BOOST PUMPS AND ENG FUEL FEED SUCTION. I XFERRED FUEL INTO THE CTR TANK TO GET THE VALUES I NEEDED IN THE WING TANKS ASSUMING THAT STEP 1(C) TANK-TO-TANK XFER WAS OK.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.