Narrative:

Aircraft arrived with a 'smoking brake' which; during a brief research check; has had 2 previous write-ups for the same discrepancy on the same brake within the past 45 days. This brake change was done on a through-flight; with the brake change being the only event pending aircraft departure. During my 'pilot check' on aircraft X; the outbound copilot informed me of a 'hot' brake that was smoking more than he was used to seeing and asked me to look at it for him. He directed me to the #3 main landing gear brake. When I saw the brake; it was visibly smoking; and was the only brake smoking on the aircraft. I then asked the inbound crew if they performed a short field stop; and they said 'no.' I explained to them that I was asking because of the smoking brake that was reported to me; and they had told me that nothing abnormal had occurred during their landing. I talked to my lead on duty; mr a; and he suggested signing the discrepancy off with a 'high energy stop' inspection. I told him that would not be appropriate because a high energy stop was not performed. I checked in the aircraft logbook for any history on this brake issue; and found it had been reported twice within the past 45 days with the same discrepancy. I suggested replacing the brake because of the history I had found; and thought there might be a bad brake installed; and we should do more than just 'inspect' the brake. Finally; he agreed; and myself; mr B; and mr C; went out to change the #3 main landing gear brake. During this brake change; I primarily was getting tools for the other mechanics working with me. Setting up the jack; getting the equipment needed.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MECHANIC REPORTS A B737-NG ACFT ARRIVED WITH A #3 'SMOKING BRAKE' NOT CAUSED BY A SHORT FIELD STOP OR A 'HIGH ENERGY STOP'. SAME BRAKE HAD TWO PREVIOUS WRITE-UPS FOR SIMILAR CONDITION. BRAKE REPLACED.

Narrative: ACFT ARRIVED WITH A 'SMOKING BRAKE' WHICH; DURING A BRIEF RESEARCH CHK; HAS HAD 2 PREVIOUS WRITE-UPS FOR THE SAME DISCREPANCY ON THE SAME BRAKE WITHIN THE PAST 45 DAYS. THIS BRAKE CHANGE WAS DONE ON A THROUGH-FLT; WITH THE BRAKE CHANGE BEING THE ONLY EVENT PENDING ACFT DEP. DURING MY 'PLT CHK' ON ACFT X; THE OUTBOUND COPLT INFORMED ME OF A 'HOT' BRAKE THAT WAS SMOKING MORE THAN HE WAS USED TO SEEING AND ASKED ME TO LOOK AT IT FOR HIM. HE DIRECTED ME TO THE #3 MAIN LNDG GEAR BRAKE. WHEN I SAW THE BRAKE; IT WAS VISIBLY SMOKING; AND WAS THE ONLY BRAKE SMOKING ON THE ACFT. I THEN ASKED THE INBOUND CREW IF THEY PERFORMED A SHORT FIELD STOP; AND THEY SAID 'NO.' I EXPLAINED TO THEM THAT I WAS ASKING BECAUSE OF THE SMOKING BRAKE THAT WAS RPTED TO ME; AND THEY HAD TOLD ME THAT NOTHING ABNORMAL HAD OCCURRED DURING THEIR LNDG. I TALKED TO MY LEAD ON DUTY; MR A; AND HE SUGGESTED SIGNING THE DISCREPANCY OFF WITH A 'HIGH ENERGY STOP' INSPECTION. I TOLD HIM THAT WOULD NOT BE APPROPRIATE BECAUSE A HIGH ENERGY STOP WAS NOT PERFORMED. I CHKED IN THE ACFT LOGBOOK FOR ANY HISTORY ON THIS BRAKE ISSUE; AND FOUND IT HAD BEEN RPTED TWICE WITHIN THE PAST 45 DAYS WITH THE SAME DISCREPANCY. I SUGGESTED REPLACING THE BRAKE BECAUSE OF THE HISTORY I HAD FOUND; AND THOUGHT THERE MIGHT BE A BAD BRAKE INSTALLED; AND WE SHOULD DO MORE THAN JUST 'INSPECT' THE BRAKE. FINALLY; HE AGREED; AND MYSELF; MR B; AND MR C; WENT OUT TO CHANGE THE #3 MAIN LNDG GEAR BRAKE. DURING THIS BRAKE CHANGE; I PRIMARILY WAS GETTING TOOLS FOR THE OTHER MECHS WORKING WITH ME. SETTING UP THE JACK; GETTING THE EQUIP NEEDED.

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.