A B727 was dispatched in non compliance with the incorrect radio altimeter installed.

Attributes
ACN	522634
Time
Date	200105
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : maintenance
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	maintenance : technician
Qualification	technician : airframe technician : powerplant
Experience	maintenance technician : 10
ASRS Report	522634
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : improper maintenance maintenance problem : improper documentation non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other other
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : lighting contributing factor : schedule pressure performance deficiency : repair performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements performance deficiency : testing performance deficiency : installation performance deficiency : inspection
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Maintenance Human Performance
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

On the night of may/sun/01, I installed the wrong part number radar altimeter on aircraft X. I don't remember the specifics of this incident as I have replaced a few radar altimeter 'right/T's' recently. Normally when changing a part I will note the part number installed on the aircraft and the ipc effectivity, as well as matching the part number with the parts tag (removed part). It seems that I did none of these on that night, other than complacency. I cannot explain how it happened.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B727 WAS DISPATCHED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH THE INCORRECT RADIO ALTIMETER INSTALLED.

Narrative: ON THE NIGHT OF MAY/SUN/01, I INSTALLED THE WRONG PART NUMBER RADAR ALTIMETER ON ACFT X. I DON'T REMEMBER THE SPECIFICS OF THIS INCIDENT AS I HAVE REPLACED A FEW RADAR ALTIMETER 'R/T'S' RECENTLY. NORMALLY WHEN CHANGING A PART I WILL NOTE THE PART NUMBER INSTALLED ON THE ACFT AND THE IPC EFFECTIVITY, AS WELL AS MATCHING THE PART NUMBER WITH THE PARTS TAG (REMOVED PART). IT SEEMS THAT I DID NONE OF THESE ON THAT NIGHT, OTHER THAN COMPLACENCY. I CANNOT EXPLAIN HOW IT HAPPENED.

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.