Narrative:

I am a maintenance coordinator for air carrier X. The manufacturer of large transport aircraft fleet is my specialty. On the evening of jul/xx/93, I received an arinc call from flight en route to sju. The airplane was to layover for the night. Crew reported the cruise stabilizer trim switch was broken. Main beep trim was ok. I told the crew I would notify sju to have mechanic look at the problem. I notified sju by message. I checked the medp and filled out the discrepancy card per office procedure. Medp reference was 27/17. It stated stabilizer cruise trim 'may be inoperative.' however, I did not notice the symbols meaning this procedure applies to model X airplane (the short version of the large transport aircraft). When the mechanic arrived, I placarded the malfunction in good faith. It was not a dispatch item, so needed no special approval. Subsequent crew operating back to the mainland did not catch the improperly placarded item. Upon return to stl the item was caught by the day shift coordinator. The airplane was stopped there for correction. The airline suffered 1 cancellation and 2 lengthy delays. My concern was the possible safety of the airplane may have been compromised. Although there was no control problem either before of after placarding, I assume there must be a good reason for the restriction. I am also concerned of the obvious illegality in wrongly placarding the item.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MLG ACR ACFT WAS OPERATED WITH AN INAPPROPRIATE EQUIP PLACARDED MALFUNCTION DUE TO THE MAINT COORDINATOR MISREADING THE APPLICABLE ACFT MODEL NUMBER.

Narrative: I AM A MAINT COORDINATOR FOR ACR X. THE MANUFACTURER OF LGT ACFT FLEET IS MY SPECIALTY. ON THE EVENING OF JUL/XX/93, I RECEIVED AN ARINC CALL FROM FLT ENRTE TO SJU. THE AIRPLANE WAS TO LAYOVER FOR THE NIGHT. CREW RPTED THE CRUISE STABILIZER TRIM SWITCH WAS BROKEN. MAIN BEEP TRIM WAS OK. I TOLD THE CREW I WOULD NOTIFY SJU TO HAVE MECH LOOK AT THE PROB. I NOTIFIED SJU BY MESSAGE. I CHKED THE MEDP AND FILLED OUT THE DISCREPANCY CARD PER OFFICE PROC. MEDP REF WAS 27/17. IT STATED STABILIZER CRUISE TRIM 'MAY BE INOP.' HOWEVER, I DID NOT NOTICE THE SYMBOLS MEANING THIS PROC APPLIES TO MODEL X AIRPLANE (THE SHORT VERSION OF THE LGT ACFT). WHEN THE MECH ARRIVED, I PLACARDED THE MALFUNCTION IN GOOD FAITH. IT WAS NOT A DISPATCH ITEM, SO NEEDED NO SPECIAL APPROVAL. SUBSEQUENT CREW OPERATING BACK TO THE MAINLAND DID NOT CATCH THE IMPROPERLY PLACARDED ITEM. UPON RETURN TO STL THE ITEM WAS CAUGHT BY THE DAY SHIFT COORDINATOR. THE AIRPLANE WAS STOPPED THERE FOR CORRECTION. THE AIRLINE SUFFERED 1 CANCELLATION AND 2 LENGTHY DELAYS. MY CONCERN WAS THE POSSIBLE SAFETY OF THE AIRPLANE MAY HAVE BEEN COMPROMISED. ALTHOUGH THERE WAS NO CTL PROB EITHER BEFORE OF AFTER PLACARDING, I ASSUME THERE MUST BE A GOOD REASON FOR THE RESTRICTION. I AM ALSO CONCERNED OF THE OBVIOUS ILLEGALITY IN WRONGLY PLACARDING THE ITEM.

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.