A B737-300 on landing was unable to obtain reverse thrust on either engine due to the thrust levers ...

Attributes
ACN	399162
Time
Date	199804
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : ggg
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
ASRS Report	399162
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

The panel was installed upside down. There is really no way of telling which side is the right side up. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the landing gear warning horn cutout switch is located on the pedestal adjacent to the right thrust lever and is mounted to a small panel fastened to the throttle quadrant. The reporter said the switch was replaced on the panel and the panel and switch assembly was reinstalled on the throttle quadrant. The reporter stated the gear warning was tested and the cutout switch checked ok. The reporter said the aircraft was dispatched and on the first landing the crew was unable to get the engines into reverse thrust. The reporter stated the switch mounting panel was installed upside down interfering with the thrust levers at idle. The reporter stated the panel can be installed in any position and the fasteners will be aligned and no indication was on the panel for fore or aft orientation. The reporter said the maintenance manual does not address the switch installation only the check of the system. The reporter stated the FAA has made no contact with the reporter.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-300 ON LNDG WAS UNABLE TO OBTAIN REVERSE THRUST ON EITHER ENG DUE TO THE THRUST LEVERS BLOCKED AT IDLE CAUSED BY AN IMPROPERLY INSTALLED SWITCH MOUNTING PANEL.

Narrative: THE PANEL WAS INSTALLED UPSIDE DOWN. THERE IS REALLY NO WAY OF TELLING WHICH SIDE IS THE RIGHT SIDE UP. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE LNDG GEAR WARNING HORN CUTOUT SWITCH IS LOCATED ON THE PEDESTAL ADJACENT TO THE R THRUST LEVER AND IS MOUNTED TO A SMALL PANEL FASTENED TO THE THROTTLE QUADRANT. THE RPTR SAID THE SWITCH WAS REPLACED ON THE PANEL AND THE PANEL AND SWITCH ASSEMBLY WAS REINSTALLED ON THE THROTTLE QUADRANT. THE RPTR STATED THE GEAR WARNING WAS TESTED AND THE CUTOUT SWITCH CHKED OK. THE RPTR SAID THE ACFT WAS DISPATCHED AND ON THE FIRST LNDG THE CREW WAS UNABLE TO GET THE ENGS INTO REVERSE THRUST. THE RPTR STATED THE SWITCH MOUNTING PANEL WAS INSTALLED UPSIDE DOWN INTERFERING WITH THE THRUST LEVERS AT IDLE. THE RPTR STATED THE PANEL CAN BE INSTALLED IN ANY POS AND THE FASTENERS WILL BE ALIGNED AND NO INDICATION WAS ON THE PANEL FOR FORE OR AFT ORIENTATION. THE RPTR SAID THE MAINT MANUAL DOES NOT ADDRESS THE SWITCH INSTALLATION ONLY THE CHK OF THE SYS. THE RPTR STATED THE FAA HAS MADE NO CONTACT WITH THE RPTR.

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.

A B737-300 on landing was unable to obtain reverse thrust on either engine due to the thrust levers blocked at idle caused by an improperly installed switch mounting panel.