Narrative:

This aircraft was turned over from third shift for an item found during a daily check the night before. The item was a broken nosewheel steering disconnect lever spring retainer clip. Disconnect option unaffected by spring clip condition. Action taken: spring clip was not available for replacement, therefore, a svcable disconnect box was sent for replacement. Box was replaced per maintenance manual and paperwork filled out. CAT status, according to our maintenance procedures and policies manual, was interpreted by me that no CAT status entry was required. Policy states rudder pedal nosewheel steering system, therefore, no entry was made. Another aircraft had a similar problem 2 days later and it was interpreted to that mechanic that an entry was required. It is not clear to me whether or not disconnecting the box does or does not require a CAT status entry. To rectify this situation, our maintenance procedures and policies could be more specific on this component. To be on the safe side, I will consider this component to require an entry unless further information is provided.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A MECHANIC WORKING ON AN AIRBUS 319 HAD THE NOSEWHEEL STEERING DISCONNECT BOX REPLACED PER THE MAINT MANUAL. SINCE BOX HAD RUDDER INPUT, WAS AUTOLAND TEST REQUIRED?

Narrative: THIS ACFT WAS TURNED OVER FROM THIRD SHIFT FOR AN ITEM FOUND DURING A DAILY CHK THE NIGHT BEFORE. THE ITEM WAS A BROKEN NOSEWHEEL STEERING DISCONNECT LEVER SPRING RETAINER CLIP. DISCONNECT OPTION UNAFFECTED BY SPRING CLIP CONDITION. ACTION TAKEN: SPRING CLIP WAS NOT AVAILABLE FOR REPLACEMENT, THEREFORE, A SVCABLE DISCONNECT BOX WAS SENT FOR REPLACEMENT. BOX WAS REPLACED PER MAINT MANUAL AND PAPERWORK FILLED OUT. CAT STATUS, ACCORDING TO OUR MAINT PROCS AND POLICIES MANUAL, WAS INTERPED BY ME THAT NO CAT STATUS ENTRY WAS REQUIRED. POLICY STATES RUDDER PEDAL NOSEWHEEL STEERING SYS, THEREFORE, NO ENTRY WAS MADE. ANOTHER ACFT HAD A SIMILAR PROB 2 DAYS LATER AND IT WAS INTERPED TO THAT MECH THAT AN ENTRY WAS REQUIRED. IT IS NOT CLR TO ME WHETHER OR NOT DISCONNECTING THE BOX DOES OR DOES NOT REQUIRE A CAT STATUS ENTRY. TO RECTIFY THIS SIT, OUR MAINT PROCS AND POLICIES COULD BE MORE SPECIFIC ON THIS COMPONENT. TO BE ON THE SAFE SIDE, I WILL CONSIDER THIS COMPONENT TO REQUIRE AN ENTRY UNLESS FURTHER INFO IS PROVIDED.

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.