Narrative:

The problem arose when I installed a left hand main wheel incorrectly, which was discovered by the pilots of that flight when they noticed a grabbing in the braking system of the left main landing gear. Contributing factors were probably unfamiliarity with this aircraft and the hours in which I work XA30 to XB00. Corrective action on occurrence was simply to remove and reinstall tire correctly. Another factor which would be the biggest is that the design on the tire and brake assembly is that it can, without notice, be installed incorrectly very easily. In my judgement I had performed the maintenance task correctly and in a professional manner. My judgement was not otherwise and my actions to the best of my knowledge were just. In all, we are somewhat overworked due to poor planning and scheduling by our planning department, and this in effect put too large a load on us as maintenance personnel. We are understaffed with our load of maintenance in my opinion. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that the wheel assembly could very easily be placed on the brake assembly without the brake pads fitting into the correct grooves on the lining on the wheel. The only reference available to reporter when doing this operation was a card that, to him, was quite vague in its interpretation. He had only been at this facility for 1 month, being recently hired from the service. The flight crew caught this error 1 week after the installation. Reporter was laid off for 2 weeks without pay and the FAA did not pursue any further penalties. Since this event, which had occurred several times before, the company has graduated that card to a full fledged bulletin with more complete parameters. The facility has just been bought out by a new owner and they forecast that in a few months that they will hire more personnel. Reporter failed to grieve his penalties and the improper maintenance card as he was new and was between a rock and a hard place.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR, A MECH AT A MAINT FACILITY FOR AN ACR, RPTS OF HIS INSTALLATION OF L WHEEL INCORRECTLY ON LTT ACFT.

Narrative: THE PROBLEM AROSE WHEN I INSTALLED A L HAND MAIN WHEEL INCORRECTLY, WHICH WAS DISCOVERED BY THE PLTS OF THAT FLT WHEN THEY NOTICED A GRABBING IN THE BRAKING SYS OF THE L MAIN LNDG GEAR. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE PROBABLY UNFAMILIARITY WITH THIS ACFT AND THE HRS IN WHICH I WORK XA30 TO XB00. CORRECTIVE ACTION ON OCCURRENCE WAS SIMPLY TO REMOVE AND REINSTALL TIRE CORRECTLY. ANOTHER FACTOR WHICH WOULD BE THE BIGGEST IS THAT THE DESIGN ON THE TIRE AND BRAKE ASSEMBLY IS THAT IT CAN, WITHOUT NOTICE, BE INSTALLED INCORRECTLY VERY EASILY. IN MY JUDGEMENT I HAD PERFORMED THE MAINT TASK CORRECTLY AND IN A PROFESSIONAL MANNER. MY JUDGEMENT WAS NOT OTHERWISE AND MY ACTIONS TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE WERE JUST. IN ALL, WE ARE SOMEWHAT OVERWORKED DUE TO POOR PLANNING AND SCHEDULING BY OUR PLANNING DEPT, AND THIS IN EFFECT PUT TOO LARGE A LOAD ON US AS MAINT PERSONNEL. WE ARE UNDERSTAFFED WITH OUR LOAD OF MAINT IN MY OPINION. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT THE WHEEL ASSEMBLY COULD VERY EASILY BE PLACED ON THE BRAKE ASSEMBLY WITHOUT THE BRAKE PADS FITTING INTO THE CORRECT GROOVES ON THE LINING ON THE WHEEL. THE ONLY REF AVAILABLE TO RPTR WHEN DOING THIS OP WAS A CARD THAT, TO HIM, WAS QUITE VAGUE IN ITS INTERPRETATION. HE HAD ONLY BEEN AT THIS FACILITY FOR 1 MONTH, BEING RECENTLY HIRED FROM THE SVC. THE FLC CAUGHT THIS ERROR 1 WK AFTER THE INSTALLATION. RPTR WAS LAID OFF FOR 2 WKS WITHOUT PAY AND THE FAA DID NOT PURSUE ANY FURTHER PENALTIES. SINCE THIS EVENT, WHICH HAD OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE, THE COMPANY HAS GRADUATED THAT CARD TO A FULL FLEDGED BULLETIN WITH MORE COMPLETE PARAMETERS. THE FACILITY HAS JUST BEEN BOUGHT OUT BY A NEW OWNER AND THEY FORECAST THAT IN A FEW MONTHS THAT THEY WILL HIRE MORE PERSONNEL. RPTR FAILED TO GRIEVE HIS PENALTIES AND THE IMPROPER MAINT CARD AS HE WAS NEW AND WAS BTWN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 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.