Narrative:

On nov/xa/00, aircraft xyz arrived in ZZZ with the refueling panel fuel quantity indication system on maintenance deferral. The fuel quantity system was on deferral due to circuit breaker C45 (fueling gauges) popping. While trying to fuel the aircraft, additional circuit breakers began to pop. I began to troubleshoot the system by replacing circuit breaker C45 and relays R97 and R5. Replacing these components did not correct the problem. I then began to check individual wires. I found cannon plug D1756, which had been tied back and capped during a previous fuel quantity modification, shorted and burned. This connector posed a fire and safety hazard. To correct the problem, I removed the plug, capped and stowed the wiring. The fuel system, including quantity, began to operate normally. I reported to B727 maintenance coordinator mr X what I had done. He, along with liaison engineering, informed me that since this plug had not been used in a number of yrs it was alright to remove the plug. I then deferred the removed plug for later repair, or deletion from system. I was under the impression that written approval to remove plug was not required. I know now that written approval in the form of an engineering repair authority/authorized was required. I realize that this was an unauthorized modification to an aircraft system. The removal of this plug and the terminating of the aircraft wiring did not degrade the safety, or integrity of the aircraft and its system. The B727 wiring diagram 28-44-01 page 4 clearly showas that plug D1756 was no longer in use and had been tied back. This plus is located in the right wing leading edge and is subject to contamination.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B727-200 WAS DISPATCHED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH A SHORTED UNUSED FUELING VALVE CTL CONNECTOR REMOVED WITH NO ENGINEERING AUTH.

Narrative: ON NOV/XA/00, ACFT XYZ ARRIVED IN ZZZ WITH THE REFUELING PANEL FUEL QUANTITY INDICATION SYS ON MAINT DEFERRAL. THE FUEL QUANTITY SYS WAS ON DEFERRAL DUE TO CB C45 (FUELING GAUGES) POPPING. WHILE TRYING TO FUEL THE ACFT, ADDITIONAL CIRCUIT BREAKERS BEGAN TO POP. I BEGAN TO TROUBLESHOOT THE SYS BY REPLACING CB C45 AND RELAYS R97 AND R5. REPLACING THESE COMPONENTS DID NOT CORRECT THE PROB. I THEN BEGAN TO CHK INDIVIDUAL WIRES. I FOUND CANNON PLUG D1756, WHICH HAD BEEN TIED BACK AND CAPPED DURING A PREVIOUS FUEL QUANTITY MODIFICATION, SHORTED AND BURNED. THIS CONNECTOR POSED A FIRE AND SAFETY HAZARD. TO CORRECT THE PROB, I REMOVED THE PLUG, CAPPED AND STOWED THE WIRING. THE FUEL SYS, INCLUDING QUANTITY, BEGAN TO OPERATE NORMALLY. I RPTED TO B727 MAINT COORDINATOR MR X WHAT I HAD DONE. HE, ALONG WITH LIAISON ENGINEERING, INFORMED ME THAT SINCE THIS PLUG HAD NOT BEEN USED IN A NUMBER OF YRS IT WAS ALRIGHT TO REMOVE THE PLUG. I THEN DEFERRED THE REMOVED PLUG FOR LATER REPAIR, OR DELETION FROM SYS. I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT WRITTEN APPROVAL TO REMOVE PLUG WAS NOT REQUIRED. I KNOW NOW THAT WRITTEN APPROVAL IN THE FORM OF AN ENGINEERING REPAIR AUTH WAS REQUIRED. I REALIZE THAT THIS WAS AN UNAUTH MODIFICATION TO AN ACFT SYS. THE REMOVAL OF THIS PLUG AND THE TERMINATING OF THE ACFT WIRING DID NOT DEGRADE THE SAFETY, OR INTEGRITY OF THE ACFT AND ITS SYS. THE B727 WIRING DIAGRAM 28-44-01 PAGE 4 CLRLY SHOWAS THAT PLUG D1756 WAS NO LONGER IN USE AND HAD BEEN TIED BACK. THIS PLUS IS LOCATED IN THE R WING LEADING EDGE AND IS SUBJECT TO CONTAMINATION.

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.