Narrative:

Aircraft came in with a MEL for a standby magnetic compass. My partner and I were assigned to aircraft. At XA15 I ordered the part number needed. I researched the maintenance manual to see what was involved to do the work. We observed that at the end of the maintenance manual it states in step 3 note: 'in the event the compass is removed and there are no modifications to the area and the same equipment is installed; there is no need nor requirement to swing the compass.' when we read this; I notified my lead technician. He also wanted to make sure if we had to do a compass swing. Lead called line control. Line controller called maintenance control wide-body desk. Maintenance controller notified line controller that a compass swing was not required and a deferral was not needed. At this point; I went to the aircraft and replaced the broken compass as per maintenance manual. Aircraft departed at XC10. At XD00 my supervisor called me and said that maintenance control said that it needs a compass swing. I checked to see if the aircraft was still here; but it was on its way to ZZZ1. My lead said that maintenance control scheduled a compass swing when it arrives to ZZZ1. Supplemental information from acn 729875: control center had called inquiring about standby compass removal and installation. Questioning if a compass swing is required. With information line control had given; my input of their interpretation of the statement in the note of the removal and installation was of the same. Apparently the way worded it's ambiguous and obviously misleading. However now; after reviewing the amm standby magnetic compass maintenance practices; it's perfectly clear. 'In the event the compass is removed and no modifications are made to the area and same compass reinstalled there is no need nor requirement to swing compass.' maintenance removed and replaced the magnetic standby compass; cleared MEL per amm and operationally checked system; however failed to accomplish compass swing per amm. Immediate action. Discrepancy corrected during first maintenance overnight second magnetic standby compass was removed and replaced reference maintenance manual and compass swing accomplished reference maintenance manual new compass card installed. Follow up action. Recommending the note: 'in the event the compass is removed and there are no modifications to the area and same equipment installed; there is no need nor requirement to swing compass' of amm (removal and installation procedures) be deleted or reworded as follows: 'if the installation location has no repairs and the same compass reinstalled; you do not have to do the tow around or calibration procedure.' additional follow-up action. Suggest reviewing and rewrite all fleet amm magnetic standby compass right&right and swing procedures to ensure consistency throughout our maintenance procedures.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B767-200 ACFT STANDBY MAGNETIC COMPASS WAS REPLACED. THE REQUIRED COMPASS SWING CHK WAS NOT DEFERRED NOR ACCOMPLISHED PRIOR TO FLT.

Narrative: ACFT CAME IN WITH A MEL FOR A STANDBY MAGNETIC COMPASS. MY PARTNER AND I WERE ASSIGNED TO ACFT. AT XA15 I ORDERED THE PART NUMBER NEEDED. I RESEARCHED THE MAINT MANUAL TO SEE WHAT WAS INVOLVED TO DO THE WORK. WE OBSERVED THAT AT THE END OF THE MAINT MANUAL IT STATES IN STEP 3 NOTE: 'IN THE EVENT THE COMPASS IS REMOVED AND THERE ARE NO MODIFICATIONS TO THE AREA AND THE SAME EQUIP IS INSTALLED; THERE IS NO NEED NOR REQUIREMENT TO SWING THE COMPASS.' WHEN WE READ THIS; I NOTIFIED MY LEAD TECHNICIAN. HE ALSO WANTED TO MAKE SURE IF WE HAD TO DO A COMPASS SWING. LEAD CALLED LINE CTL. LINE CTLR CALLED MAINT CTL WIDE-BODY DESK. MAINT CTLR NOTIFIED LINE CTLR THAT A COMPASS SWING WAS NOT REQUIRED AND A DEFERRAL WAS NOT NEEDED. AT THIS POINT; I WENT TO THE ACFT AND REPLACED THE BROKEN COMPASS AS PER MAINT MANUAL. ACFT DEPARTED AT XC10. AT XD00 MY SUPVR CALLED ME AND SAID THAT MAINT CTL SAID THAT IT NEEDS A COMPASS SWING. I CHKED TO SEE IF THE ACFT WAS STILL HERE; BUT IT WAS ON ITS WAY TO ZZZ1. MY LEAD SAID THAT MAINT CTL SCHEDULED A COMPASS SWING WHEN IT ARRIVES TO ZZZ1. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 729875: CTL CTR HAD CALLED INQUIRING ABOUT STANDBY COMPASS REMOVAL AND INSTALLATION. QUESTIONING IF A COMPASS SWING IS REQUIRED. WITH INFO LINE CTL HAD GIVEN; MY INPUT OF THEIR INTERP OF THE STATEMENT IN THE NOTE OF THE REMOVAL AND INSTALLATION WAS OF THE SAME. APPARENTLY THE WAY WORDED IT'S AMBIGUOUS AND OBVIOUSLY MISLEADING. HOWEVER NOW; AFTER REVIEWING THE AMM STANDBY MAGNETIC COMPASS MAINT PRACTICES; IT'S PERFECTLY CLR. 'IN THE EVENT THE COMPASS IS REMOVED AND NO MODIFICATIONS ARE MADE TO THE AREA AND SAME COMPASS REINSTALLED THERE IS NO NEED NOR REQUIREMENT TO SWING COMPASS.' MAINT REMOVED AND REPLACED THE MAGNETIC STANDBY COMPASS; CLRED MEL PER AMM AND OPERATIONALLY CHKED SYS; HOWEVER FAILED TO ACCOMPLISH COMPASS SWING PER AMM. IMMEDIATE ACTION. DISCREPANCY CORRECTED DURING FIRST MAINT OVERNIGHT SECOND MAGNETIC STANDBY COMPASS WAS REMOVED AND REPLACED REF MAINT MANUAL AND COMPASS SWING ACCOMPLISHED REF MAINT MANUAL NEW COMPASS CARD INSTALLED. FOLLOW UP ACTION. RECOMMENDING THE NOTE: 'IN THE EVENT THE COMPASS IS REMOVED AND THERE ARE NO MODIFICATIONS TO THE AREA AND SAME EQUIP INSTALLED; THERE IS NO NEED NOR REQUIREMENT TO SWING COMPASS' OF AMM (REMOVAL AND INSTALLATION PROCS) BE DELETED OR REWORDED AS FOLLOWS: 'IF THE INSTALLATION LOCATION HAS NO REPAIRS AND THE SAME COMPASS REINSTALLED; YOU DO NOT HAVE TO DO THE TOW AROUND OR CALIBRATION PROC.' ADDITIONAL FOLLOW-UP ACTION. SUGGEST REVIEWING AND REWRITE ALL FLEET AMM MAGNETIC STANDBY COMPASS R&R AND SWING PROCS TO ENSURE CONSISTENCY THROUGHOUT OUR MAINT PROCS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.