An MD88 while performing the preflight check the first officer noted the open #3 communication trans...

Attributes
ACN	429155
Time
Date	199902
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Fog Rain
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-88
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : preflight ground : parked ground : maintenance
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 6500 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	429155
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe maintenance problem : improper maintenance non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Factors
Maintenance	performance deficiency : repair performance deficiency : installation
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Maintenance Human Performance
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

Approached aircraft cockpit for preflight. Noticed the usual: no 'aircraft out of service' tag on throttles, logbook checks good, fluids good, oxygen masks good, etc. Reset the red circuit breaker that we routinely pull on every arrival. However, I noticed the VHF communication #3 circuit breaker popped. I advised the captain I was going to reset it. He agreed. I got my umbrella and did my walkaround. Upon my return, I found 2 mechanics in the jetway making an entry in the logbook. I heard one say 'I wonder of the SELCAL is working?' I told them I had reset the VHF communication #3 circuit breaker. (VHF communication #3 pwrs ACARS, our normal SELCAL communication.) one mechanic turned to me and said 'great...I was changing the #3 antenna...I could have been electrocuted.' I smiled and went into the cockpit, assuming he was joking with me. Later, they handed me the logbook, and sure enough, there was an entry for VHF communication #3 antenna change. I immediately told the captain the story. After the trip, I reported the event to our company's safety hotline. Usually maintenance are conservative and put the 'aircraft OTS' tag up even for the little things. We pilots truly honor the 'warning' the tag implies -- in fact, we normally drop our bags in the jetway and ask maintenance to call us when they're done. We don't even enter the flight deck.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD88 WHILE PERFORMING THE PREFLT CHK THE FO NOTED THE OPEN #3 COM TRANSCEIVER CIRCUIT BREAKER AND RESET THE BREAKER UNAWARE THE ANTENNA WAS BEING REPLACED. THE CIRCUIT BREAKER WAS NOT TAGGED OR PLACARDED.

Narrative: APCHED ACFT COCKPIT FOR PREFLT. NOTICED THE USUAL: NO 'ACFT OUT OF SVC' TAG ON THROTTLES, LOGBOOK CHKS GOOD, FLUIDS GOOD, OXYGEN MASKS GOOD, ETC. RESET THE RED CIRCUIT BREAKER THAT WE ROUTINELY PULL ON EVERY ARR. HOWEVER, I NOTICED THE VHF COM #3 CIRCUIT BREAKER POPPED. I ADVISED THE CAPT I WAS GOING TO RESET IT. HE AGREED. I GOT MY UMBRELLA AND DID MY WALKAROUND. UPON MY RETURN, I FOUND 2 MECHS IN THE JETWAY MAKING AN ENTRY IN THE LOGBOOK. I HEARD ONE SAY 'I WONDER OF THE SELCAL IS WORKING?' I TOLD THEM I HAD RESET THE VHF COM #3 CIRCUIT BREAKER. (VHF COM #3 PWRS ACARS, OUR NORMAL SELCAL COM.) ONE MECH TURNED TO ME AND SAID 'GREAT...I WAS CHANGING THE #3 ANTENNA...I COULD HAVE BEEN ELECTROCUTED.' I SMILED AND WENT INTO THE COCKPIT, ASSUMING HE WAS JOKING WITH ME. LATER, THEY HANDED ME THE LOGBOOK, AND SURE ENOUGH, THERE WAS AN ENTRY FOR VHF COM #3 ANTENNA CHANGE. I IMMEDIATELY TOLD THE CAPT THE STORY. AFTER THE TRIP, I RPTED THE EVENT TO OUR COMPANY'S SAFETY HOTLINE. USUALLY MAINT ARE CONSERVATIVE AND PUT THE 'ACFT OTS' TAG UP EVEN FOR THE LITTLE THINGS. WE PLTS TRULY HONOR THE 'WARNING' THE TAG IMPLIES -- IN FACT, WE NORMALLY DROP OUR BAGS IN THE JETWAY AND ASK MAINT TO CALL US WHEN THEY'RE DONE. WE DON'T EVEN ENTER THE FLT DECK.

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.

An MD88 while performing the preflight check the first officer noted the open #3 communication transceiver circuit breaker and reset the breaker unaware the antenna was being replaced. The circuit breaker was not tagged or placarded.