A DC10-30 was dispatched with the incorrect flight guidance panel installed.

Attributes
ACN	412909
Time
Date	199807
Day	Mon
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
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-10 30
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
ASRS Report	412909
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel other oversight : supervisor
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

On jul/xa/98 aircraft xyz inbound with discrepancy 'directional control panel heading display digits out of sequence.' after ordering part number cba abc YYY, part was not available. I was told by our ZZZ maintenance control to rob the panel from aircraft ymz. The panel had a different part number and showed not interchangeable with aircraft xyz. I and the supervisor on duty and maintenance controller discussed the situation with zyx control. They in turn decided to get air carrier engineering involved. Zyx maintenance control had called and told ZZZ maintenance that the panel from aircraft ymz was applicable for aircraft xyz. I installed the part and performed the operational checks and all checks were good. Aircraft was returned for service. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the panel robbed part number was not shown in the parts catalog as being interchangeable with the guidance panel removed and the foreman was advised. The reporter said engineering and maintenance control approved use of the part robbed from aircraft ymz but did not send a verbal message or engineering approval. The reporter stated the aircraft flew for 2 weeks with no flight guidance panel problems. The reporter stated he has 12 yrs experience as a technician.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DC10-30 WAS DISPATCHED WITH THE INCORRECT FLT GUIDANCE PANEL INSTALLED.

Narrative: ON JUL/XA/98 ACFT XYZ INBOUND WITH DISCREPANCY 'DIRECTIONAL CTL PANEL HDG DISPLAY DIGITS OUT OF SEQUENCE.' AFTER ORDERING PART NUMBER CBA ABC YYY, PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE. I WAS TOLD BY OUR ZZZ MAINT CTL TO ROB THE PANEL FROM ACFT YMZ. THE PANEL HAD A DIFFERENT PART NUMBER AND SHOWED NOT INTERCHANGEABLE WITH ACFT XYZ. I AND THE SUPVR ON DUTY AND MAINT CTLR DISCUSSED THE SIT WITH ZYX CTL. THEY IN TURN DECIDED TO GET ACR ENGINEERING INVOLVED. ZYX MAINT CTL HAD CALLED AND TOLD ZZZ MAINT THAT THE PANEL FROM ACFT YMZ WAS APPLICABLE FOR ACFT XYZ. I INSTALLED THE PART AND PERFORMED THE OPERATIONAL CHKS AND ALL CHKS WERE GOOD. ACFT WAS RETURNED FOR SVC. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE PANEL ROBBED PART NUMBER WAS NOT SHOWN IN THE PARTS CATALOG AS BEING INTERCHANGEABLE WITH THE GUIDANCE PANEL REMOVED AND THE FOREMAN WAS ADVISED. THE RPTR SAID ENGINEERING AND MAINT CTL APPROVED USE OF THE PART ROBBED FROM ACFT YMZ BUT DID NOT SEND A VERBAL MESSAGE OR ENGINEERING APPROVAL. THE RPTR STATED THE ACFT FLEW FOR 2 WKS WITH NO FLT GUIDANCE PANEL PROBS. THE RPTR STATED HE HAS 12 YRS EXPERIENCE AS A TECHNICIAN.

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.