A B727-200 was dispatched in non compliance with #2 fuel valve indication deferred as inoperative but valve was inadvertently wired in closed position.

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Attributes
ACN	571233
Time
Date	200301
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
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	B727-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	maintenance : technician
Qualification	technician : airframe technician : powerplant
ASRS Report	571233
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : improper maintenance non adherence : far non adherence : company policies non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : #2 fuel qty indication other flight crewa other flight crewb other other : 5
Resolutory Action	flight crew : diverted to another airport
Consequence	other other
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : manuals contributing factor : schedule pressure performance deficiency : logbook entry performance deficiency : inspection performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements performance deficiency : training performance deficiency : testing
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Maintenance Human Performance Chart Or Publication Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

On jan/thu/03, I received a call at or about XA10 from ZZZ1 maintenance control reporting that on aircraft X the crew had '#2 fuel valve in transit light fails to illuminate when knob is cycled.' I immediately reported to the aircraft and received a briefing from the flight engineer. I then contacted maintenance controller and talked with ZZZ1 maintenance control and he directed me to check the operation of the valve. If it failed, comply with dispatch deviation procedures guide 28-7 and MEL. I cycled the switches and no joy. I reviewed the maintenance tape 28-22-11 and complied with the maintenance manual and the dispatch deviation procedure guide. I verified the valve was in the open position and safety wired it to the open position. I then returned to the cockpit and finished the paperwork and placed the valve on MEL. The aircraft departed and approximately 1/2 hour later, ZZZ1 maintenance control called me and informed me that the aircraft was diverting to phx due to the fact they could not get fuel out of the #2 tank. To my understanding, the aircraft landed in phoenix without incident. ZZZ1 maintenance control called again at around XC00 and informed me that it was discovered that the valve was safety wired in the closed position. I followed the pubs and I verified the position of the valve.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B727-200 WAS DISPATCHED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH #2 FUEL VALVE INDICATION DEFERRED AS INOP BUT VALVE WAS INADVERTENTLY WIRED IN CLOSED POS.

Narrative: ON JAN/THU/03, I RECEIVED A CALL AT OR ABOUT XA10 FROM ZZZ1 MAINT CTL RPTING THAT ON ACFT X THE CREW HAD '#2 FUEL VALVE IN TRANSIT LIGHT FAILS TO ILLUMINATE WHEN KNOB IS CYCLED.' I IMMEDIATELY RPTED TO THE ACFT AND RECEIVED A BRIEFING FROM THE FE. I THEN CONTACTED MAINT CTLR AND TALKED WITH ZZZ1 MAINT CTL AND HE DIRECTED ME TO CHK THE OP OF THE VALVE. IF IT FAILED, COMPLY WITH DISPATCH DEV PROCS GUIDE 28-7 AND MEL. I CYCLED THE SWITCHES AND NO JOY. I REVIEWED THE MAINT TAPE 28-22-11 AND COMPLIED WITH THE MAINT MANUAL AND THE DISPATCH DEV PROC GUIDE. I VERIFIED THE VALVE WAS IN THE OPEN POS AND SAFETY WIRED IT TO THE OPEN POS. I THEN RETURNED TO THE COCKPIT AND FINISHED THE PAPERWORK AND PLACED THE VALVE ON MEL. THE ACFT DEPARTED AND APPROX 1/2 HR LATER, ZZZ1 MAINT CTL CALLED ME AND INFORMED ME THAT THE ACFT WAS DIVERTING TO PHX DUE TO THE FACT THEY COULD NOT GET FUEL OUT OF THE #2 TANK. TO MY UNDERSTANDING, THE ACFT LANDED IN PHOENIX WITHOUT INCIDENT. ZZZ1 MAINT CTL CALLED AGAIN AT AROUND XC00 AND INFORMED ME THAT IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE VALVE WAS SAFETY WIRED IN THE CLOSED POS. I FOLLOWED THE PUBS AND I VERIFIED THE POS OF THE VALVE.

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.