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Mechanic notices the calibration due date of their HF coupler test equipment had expired. Three of their B737-300 HF antenna couplers had to be recalled and retested; because they were calibrated after the test equipment due date.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 815584 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200812 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Make Model Name | B737-300 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | maintenance : technician |
| ASRS Report | 815584 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe maintenance problem : improper documentation maintenance problem : improper maintenance non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far |
| Independent Detector | other other : 1 |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | other |
| Factors | |
| Maintenance | contributing factor : tooling performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements performance deficiency : inspection |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Maintenance Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Maintenance Human Performance |
Narrative:
Unobtrusive test equipment calibration due tag shows due date 'check before dec/08.' test equipment discovered and tagged dec/xl/08. 3 units tested between dec/xa/08 and dec/xl/08 tracked down and recalled for retesting. All were located prior to assignment to aircraft. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated the HF antenna couplers are a sealed; internally pressurized unit that are calibrated on a scheduled basis; but mostly annually. The HF couplers are subjected to a veeco process that includes; a leak test and a dunk test; that is a part of the recalibration certification procedure for the coupler.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: MECHANIC NOTICES THE CALIBRATION DUE DATE OF THEIR HF COUPLER TEST EQUIPMENT HAD EXPIRED. THREE OF THEIR B737-300 HF ANTENNA COUPLERS HAD TO BE RECALLED AND RETESTED; BECAUSE THEY WERE CALIBRATED AFTER THE TEST EQUIPMENT DUE DATE.
Narrative: UNOBTRUSIVE TEST EQUIP CALIBRATION DUE TAG SHOWS DUE DATE 'CHK BEFORE DEC/08.' TEST EQUIP DISCOVERED AND TAGGED DEC/XL/08. 3 UNITS TESTED BTWN DEC/XA/08 AND DEC/XL/08 TRACKED DOWN AND RECALLED FOR RETESTING. ALL WERE LOCATED PRIOR TO ASSIGNMENT TO ACFT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: REPORTER STATED THE HF ANTENNA COUPLERS ARE A SEALED; INTERNALLY PRESSURIZED UNIT THAT ARE CALIBRATED ON A SCHEDULED BASIS; BUT MOSTLY ANNUALLY. THE HF COUPLERS ARE SUBJECTED TO A VEECO PROCESS THAT INCLUDES; A LEAK TEST AND A DUNK TEST; THAT IS A PART OF THE RECALIBRATION CERTIFICATION PROCEDURE FOR THE COUPLER.
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.