Narrative:

I changed a set of nose tires on the aircraft. I was informed from the night supervisor that I put B737-300 wheel assemblies on the aircraft. I was the lead mechanic and tried to help the night crew by taking a service check and maintenance visit because of a high workload that night. Also; that night; I was helping with troubleshooting and burning engines and doing night lead paperwork. When I went to grab the tires; I saw B737-300 tires and grabbed the tires from the row next to them which should be -700 tires. Apparently; they weren't. I didn't realize the part number (-2 to A-1). I changed the tires and safetied them. Contributing factors would be complacency. You get used to tires being in a certain place and grab-and-go. Pressure and distrs. To fix this from happening again; tires should be in a specific place. Complacency on my parts caused it; but labeling is very important. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated the B737-700 nose tires are interchangeable with and can be installed on the B737-300 nose gear. But; the -300 nose tires are not supposed to be installed on the -700 series aircraft nose gear. He believes the -300 tire diameter is smaller and has different load carrying rating. Reporter stated the nose tires are spray stenciled with the aircraft type they are to be used on. In his case; the B-737-300 nose tires are next to the -700 nose tire rack in rows. He just assumed he had selected two -700 tires; not -300's. Reporter stated since this happened; his carrier has separated the different type nose tires into separate areas.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WHILE TRYING TO HELP OUT OTHER MECHANICS WITH THEIR MAINT WORKLOADS; A LEAD MECHANIC REPLACES BOTH NOSE TIRES ON A B737-700 ACFT WITH B737-300 TIRES.

Narrative: I CHANGED A SET OF NOSE TIRES ON THE ACFT. I WAS INFORMED FROM THE NIGHT SUPVR THAT I PUT B737-300 WHEEL ASSEMBLIES ON THE ACFT. I WAS THE LEAD MECH AND TRIED TO HELP THE NIGHT CREW BY TAKING A SVC CHK AND MAINT VISIT BECAUSE OF A HIGH WORKLOAD THAT NIGHT. ALSO; THAT NIGHT; I WAS HELPING WITH TROUBLESHOOTING AND BURNING ENGS AND DOING NIGHT LEAD PAPERWORK. WHEN I WENT TO GRAB THE TIRES; I SAW B737-300 TIRES AND GRABBED THE TIRES FROM THE ROW NEXT TO THEM WHICH SHOULD BE -700 TIRES. APPARENTLY; THEY WEREN'T. I DIDN'T REALIZE THE PART NUMBER (-2 TO A-1). I CHANGED THE TIRES AND SAFETIED THEM. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WOULD BE COMPLACENCY. YOU GET USED TO TIRES BEING IN A CERTAIN PLACE AND GRAB-AND-GO. PRESSURE AND DISTRS. TO FIX THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN; TIRES SHOULD BE IN A SPECIFIC PLACE. COMPLACENCY ON MY PARTS CAUSED IT; BUT LABELING IS VERY IMPORTANT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: REPORTER STATED THE B737-700 NOSE TIRES ARE INTERCHANGEABLE WITH AND CAN BE INSTALLED ON THE B737-300 NOSE GEAR. BUT; THE -300 NOSE TIRES ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE INSTALLED ON THE -700 SERIES ACFT NOSE GEAR. HE BELIEVES THE -300 TIRE DIAMETER IS SMALLER AND HAS DIFFERENT LOAD CARRYING RATING. REPORTER STATED THE NOSE TIRES ARE SPRAY STENCILED WITH THE ACFT TYPE THEY ARE TO BE USED ON. IN HIS CASE; THE B-737-300 NOSE TIRES ARE NEXT TO THE -700 NOSE TIRE RACK IN ROWS. HE JUST ASSUMED HE HAD SELECTED TWO -700 TIRES; NOT -300'S. REPORTER STATED SINCE THIS HAPPENED; HIS CARRIER HAS SEPARATED THE DIFFERENT TYPE NOSE TIRES INTO SEPARATE AREAS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.