Narrative:

Received first call to aircraft 3 mins prior to push for a right wing to body overheat light illuminated. Opened right pack bay door and ran pack and inspected for leaks. No leaks or defects found. Light was extinguished and did not illuminate while I signed the logbook and released the aircraft. Received second call to aircraft for right wing to body overheat light illuminated. After talking with pilot (captain), determined that light only illuminated after right pack had been operating. When pack was shut down and let cool, light would extinguish. I reasoned that overheat detection system was working and fault was being caused by the right pack for an undetermined reason. That is the reason I placarded the right pack as an MEL 21-1. Supplemental information from acn 613467: he determined the problem was with the right air conditioning pack and as it was downstream of the pack valve, inoperative'ing the right air conditioning pack was the correct procedure. I agreed. The next day, per telecon with maintenance, the supervisor indicated to me that we no longer do this. Ok, I agree. 1) all maintenance and pilots should be familiar with the proper FAA procedures regarding 'wing body overheats.' 2) no aircraft with an actual 'wing body overheat' should depart a company maintenance base. 3) this problem continues to occur and with summer approaching, a conference with boeing engineers may be appropriate.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-300 WAS DISPATCHED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH 2 RPTS OF R BODY OVERHEAT WARNING ILLUMINATED. CLRED RPT BY DEFERRING THE R PACK.

Narrative: RECEIVED FIRST CALL TO ACFT 3 MINS PRIOR TO PUSH FOR A R WING TO BODY OVERHEAT LIGHT ILLUMINATED. OPENED R PACK BAY DOOR AND RAN PACK AND INSPECTED FOR LEAKS. NO LEAKS OR DEFECTS FOUND. LIGHT WAS EXTINGUISHED AND DID NOT ILLUMINATE WHILE I SIGNED THE LOGBOOK AND RELEASED THE ACFT. RECEIVED SECOND CALL TO ACFT FOR R WING TO BODY OVERHEAT LIGHT ILLUMINATED. AFTER TALKING WITH PLT (CAPT), DETERMINED THAT LIGHT ONLY ILLUMINATED AFTER R PACK HAD BEEN OPERATING. WHEN PACK WAS SHUT DOWN AND LET COOL, LIGHT WOULD EXTINGUISH. I REASONED THAT OVERHEAT DETECTION SYS WAS WORKING AND FAULT WAS BEING CAUSED BY THE R PACK FOR AN UNDETERMINED REASON. THAT IS THE REASON I PLACARDED THE R PACK AS AN MEL 21-1. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 613467: HE DETERMINED THE PROB WAS WITH THE R AIR CONDITIONING PACK AND AS IT WAS DOWNSTREAM OF THE PACK VALVE, INOP'ING THE R AIR CONDITIONING PACK WAS THE CORRECT PROC. I AGREED. THE NEXT DAY, PER TELECON WITH MAINT, THE SUPVR INDICATED TO ME THAT WE NO LONGER DO THIS. OK, I AGREE. 1) ALL MAINT AND PLTS SHOULD BE FAMILIAR WITH THE PROPER FAA PROCS REGARDING 'WING BODY OVERHEATS.' 2) NO ACFT WITH AN ACTUAL 'WING BODY OVERHEAT' SHOULD DEPART A COMPANY MAINT BASE. 3) THIS PROB CONTINUES TO OCCUR AND WITH SUMMER APCHING, A CONFERENCE WITH BOEING ENGINEERS MAY BE APPROPRIATE.

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.