Narrative:

At about XA50, received call from amt in ZZZ in regards to aircraft X. Both amt and pilot noted on walkaround, high speed tape on the rudder but no open 'DF' or 'cf' items to reflect this. Upon reviewing history in our computer system, found a previous repair accomplished in air traffic area 55. Reviewing over the signoff, noted that mechanic in zzy had cleared 12XYZ which was the previous open item on an interim tape repair on the rudder. Upon further investigation, noted that the repair the boi amt utilized referenced to a maintenance manual reference for pinhole repairs on radomes, and not for missing paint on the rudder, which we still had. Sure enough, aircraft still had an open item for a pinhole damage on radome (CF708). I instructed ord amt to inspect the radome for any pinhole damage, and none was found. It was quite apparent that the boi amt inadvertently cleared the wrong item. I instructed the ord amt to clear the CF708 on the radome. I reopened CF707 for the missing paint on the rudder. I updated CE707 for removal of tape and paint application at termination of day's flying. Aircraft was routed ord-dca-ord and overnighted. Later into the operation, ord maintenance requested relief from the assignment. Upon re-evaluation of the CF707 and the maintenance manual 55-20-99 reference, from the day the item was created and fly-back limits noted in the maintenance manual for 100 flight hours, upon application of interim tape repair, the aircraft was 136 hours overtime. Aircraft was subsequently type ii ferried to sfo for painting.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-300 WAS DISPATCHED AND OPERATED 136 HRS OVER TIME FOR RUDDER REPAINTING, DUE TO A TECHNICIAN CLRING THE WRONG LONG TERM DEFERRED ITEM.

Narrative: AT ABOUT XA50, RECEIVED CALL FROM AMT IN ZZZ IN REGARDS TO ACFT X. BOTH AMT AND PLT NOTED ON WALKAROUND, HIGH SPD TAPE ON THE RUDDER BUT NO OPEN 'DF' OR 'CF' ITEMS TO REFLECT THIS. UPON REVIEWING HISTORY IN OUR COMPUTER SYS, FOUND A PREVIOUS REPAIR ACCOMPLISHED IN ATA 55. REVIEWING OVER THE SIGNOFF, NOTED THAT MECH IN ZZY HAD CLRED 12XYZ WHICH WAS THE PREVIOUS OPEN ITEM ON AN INTERIM TAPE REPAIR ON THE RUDDER. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION, NOTED THAT THE REPAIR THE BOI AMT UTILIZED REFED TO A MAINT MANUAL REF FOR PINHOLE REPAIRS ON RADOMES, AND NOT FOR MISSING PAINT ON THE RUDDER, WHICH WE STILL HAD. SURE ENOUGH, ACFT STILL HAD AN OPEN ITEM FOR A PINHOLE DAMAGE ON RADOME (CF708). I INSTRUCTED ORD AMT TO INSPECT THE RADOME FOR ANY PINHOLE DAMAGE, AND NONE WAS FOUND. IT WAS QUITE APPARENT THAT THE BOI AMT INADVERTENTLY CLRED THE WRONG ITEM. I INSTRUCTED THE ORD AMT TO CLR THE CF708 ON THE RADOME. I REOPENED CF707 FOR THE MISSING PAINT ON THE RUDDER. I UPDATED CE707 FOR REMOVAL OF TAPE AND PAINT APPLICATION AT TERMINATION OF DAY'S FLYING. ACFT WAS ROUTED ORD-DCA-ORD AND OVERNIGHTED. LATER INTO THE OP, ORD MAINT REQUESTED RELIEF FROM THE ASSIGNMENT. UPON RE-EVALUATION OF THE CF707 AND THE MAINT MANUAL 55-20-99 REF, FROM THE DAY THE ITEM WAS CREATED AND FLY-BACK LIMITS NOTED IN THE MAINT MANUAL FOR 100 FLT HRS, UPON APPLICATION OF INTERIM TAPE REPAIR, THE ACFT WAS 136 HRS OVERTIME. ACFT WAS SUBSEQUENTLY TYPE II FERRIED TO SFO FOR PAINTING.

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.