Narrative:

Maintenance personnel called with a flap fairing damaged by ground equipment. After brief view of photos of the damage; I suggested configuration deviation list (cdl) 52-03. I asked him to take a look at the cdl and call me back. To expedite matters; I called dispatch to see if they could live with it. Later dispatch called back to ask status; I told them I had not heard back yet; and I put the cdl in the computer so dispatch could use their computers to work their flight plan. At end of shift; I gave verbal turnover that we were waiting for mechanic to call back; item was in computer and still open. Later we found out that the larger fairing was removed instead of the one referred to by the cdl. We plan to rob parts from hangar plane and [install it]. The cdl 57-03 photograph seems to point to larger fairing. Myself; [several] mechanics; and many pilots all saw the same thing. [A] pilot finally figured it out. I should have caught it at time of issue; I was more focused on the close-up detailed damage pictures; than I was on the picture that showed which fairing. Also; I relied on my interpretation of the cdl picture instead of fully reading the cdl description (inboard flap center track fairings). A second photo in cdl with arrows would help identify the applicable fairing. Since our cdls are now online; perhaps digital color photos of the applicable components could be added to each cdl.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Maintenance Controller and several maintenance technicians misinterpreted the Configuration Deviation List (CDL) description and removed a fairing that was not covered by this specification.

Narrative: Maintenance personnel called with a flap fairing damaged by ground equipment. After brief view of photos of the damage; I suggested Configuration Deviation List (CDL) 52-03. I asked him to take a look at the CDL and call me back. To expedite matters; I called Dispatch to see if they could live with it. Later Dispatch called back to ask status; I told them I had not heard back yet; and I put the CDL in the computer so Dispatch could use their computers to work their flight plan. At end of shift; I gave verbal turnover that we were waiting for mechanic to call back; item was in computer and still open. Later we found out that the larger fairing was removed instead of the one referred to by the CDL. We plan to rob parts from hangar plane and [install it]. The CDL 57-03 photograph seems to point to larger fairing. Myself; [several] mechanics; and many pilots all saw the same thing. [A] pilot finally figured it out. I should have caught it at time of issue; I was more focused on the close-up detailed damage pictures; than I was on the picture that showed which fairing. Also; I relied on my interpretation of the CDL picture instead of fully reading the CDL description (Inboard Flap Center Track Fairings). A second photo in CDL with arrows would help identify the applicable fairing. Since our CDLs are now online; perhaps digital color photos of the applicable components could be added to each CDL.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2013 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.