Narrative:

I was the team lead on duty when the controller notified me of a seat at the emergency exit row that had a broken seat back frame. The aircraft was located and a search of seat part numbers revealed we had none of these seats in stock. This is an unusual seat and not used on many of our aircraft. There were none of these seats available on the OTS aircraft. We researched the parts needed in the cmm and determined we did not stock the necessary parts. I instructed the controller to MEL the seat. I became so focused on the fact this seat occupied an emergency exit row; I instructed the controller to remove the affected seatbacks to prevent possible egress obstruction in the event one of the seatbacks broke over and blocked the exit. I am aware of the restrs of removing seat backs; but it just didn't occur to me at the time. Later in the day; after I got home; I realized my mistake and called maintenance control. We took the aircraft OTS; robbed a seat from another OTS aircraft; installed seat and cleared MEL.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A MAINTENANCE CONTROLLER DIRECTS MAINTENANCE TO REMOVE A BROKEN SEAT BACK AT AN EMERGENCY EXIT ROW OF SEATS; ON A B737-300 AND DEFERS ITEM. CONTROLLER REALIZES LATER THE RESTRICTIONS ON SEAT BACK REMOVAL AT EXIT ROWS AND HAS SEAT REPLACED.

Narrative: I WAS THE TEAM LEAD ON DUTY WHEN THE CTLR NOTIFIED ME OF A SEAT AT THE EMER EXIT ROW THAT HAD A BROKEN SEAT BACK FRAME. THE ACFT WAS LOCATED AND A SEARCH OF SEAT PART NUMBERS REVEALED WE HAD NONE OF THESE SEATS IN STOCK. THIS IS AN UNUSUAL SEAT AND NOT USED ON MANY OF OUR ACFT. THERE WERE NONE OF THESE SEATS AVAILABLE ON THE OTS ACFT. WE RESEARCHED THE PARTS NEEDED IN THE CMM AND DETERMINED WE DID NOT STOCK THE NECESSARY PARTS. I INSTRUCTED THE CTLR TO MEL THE SEAT. I BECAME SO FOCUSED ON THE FACT THIS SEAT OCCUPIED AN EMER EXIT ROW; I INSTRUCTED THE CTLR TO REMOVE THE AFFECTED SEATBACKS TO PREVENT POSSIBLE EGRESS OBSTRUCTION IN THE EVENT ONE OF THE SEATBACKS BROKE OVER AND BLOCKED THE EXIT. I AM AWARE OF THE RESTRS OF REMOVING SEAT BACKS; BUT IT JUST DIDN'T OCCUR TO ME AT THE TIME. LATER IN THE DAY; AFTER I GOT HOME; I REALIZED MY MISTAKE AND CALLED MAINT CTL. WE TOOK THE ACFT OTS; ROBBED A SEAT FROM ANOTHER OTS ACFT; INSTALLED SEAT AND CLRED MEL.

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.