Narrative:

Oct/xa/08; I was assigned to download the data from the digital flight data recorder (DFDR) onto a pcmi card. The pcmi card was not in stock. And per the job card; I could change the DFDR and send it to ZZZ1 so they could retrieve the data. I went to the computer in the line hangar to look up the part number and came up with 2 different part numbers; but there was only one available. So I ordered it. In the meantime; I called maintenance control to ask which one was this aircraft. I don't remember the answer. However; when the part arrived; I had already removed the DFDR from the aircraft. When I removed the DFDR; the part number was written on top of the unit (a white printed tag with the part number; looked like something stores might have done). The part number that was on the DFDR was the same as the number I received from stores. I installed the new unit and checked it. Then I entered it in the parts compatibility program -- it accepted it. 2 weeks later when I returned to work; my manager informed me about this event; and that it was already corrected. I don't know who detected the event or when. But the parts compatibility program should not have accepted the tracking tag and/or kicked it back. And I was told by my manager the parts compatibility program should have done some other things when this event happened. But it did not. At the time of this event; I believe I installed the correct part. Suggestions: 1) test the parts compatibility program to see if it does what it should do. 2) put notes or warnings in the parts compatibility program that a part will fit other aircraft. 3) find a way to better separate part numbers (the part that should have been installed and the part I installed). Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated the normal procedure for downloading recent flight data from the airbus A319's digital flight data recorder (DFDR); is to use a memory stick. But; many times they do not have a stick available; or the laptop computer that is required to access and transfer the data is out of service; or the wire harness that is also necessary for the connections can't be located. Reporter stated that because a memory stick was not in stock he decided to just replace the DFDR and perform a fairly simple operational check per the aircraft maintenance manual (amm). When he installed the new DFDR he noticed the tag on the unit stated the DFDR manufacturer was a boeing product. Reporter stated there are hexagon shaped locator pins on the back side of many units including the DFDR's; specifically designed to prevent intermixing of different aircraft manufacturer components. But; since the part numbers matched and the locator pins lined up and the operational test passed; he figured he had the correct part installed. Reporter also stated his carrier no longer overhauls or repairs the DFDR's used in their aircraft. He has been questioning if the DFDR he installed was mislabeled as a boeing part; when in fact the part was an airbus unit; than how many other DFDR units are mislabeled from the current supplier.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MECHANIC IS INFORMED BY HIS MANAGER; THE DIGITAL FLIGHT DATA RECORDER (DFDR) HE INSTALLED ON AN A319 WAS AN INCORRECT PART; EVEN THOUGH THE DFDR PART NUMBERS MATCHED; THE LOCATOR LINED UP AND OPERATIONAL TEST PASSED.

Narrative: OCT/XA/08; I WAS ASSIGNED TO DOWNLOAD THE DATA FROM THE DIGITAL FLT DATA RECORDER (DFDR) ONTO A PCMI CARD. THE PCMI CARD WAS NOT IN STOCK. AND PER THE JOB CARD; I COULD CHANGE THE DFDR AND SEND IT TO ZZZ1 SO THEY COULD RETRIEVE THE DATA. I WENT TO THE COMPUTER IN THE LINE HANGAR TO LOOK UP THE PART NUMBER AND CAME UP WITH 2 DIFFERENT PART NUMBERS; BUT THERE WAS ONLY ONE AVAILABLE. SO I ORDERED IT. IN THE MEANTIME; I CALLED MAINT CTL TO ASK WHICH ONE WAS THIS ACFT. I DON'T REMEMBER THE ANSWER. HOWEVER; WHEN THE PART ARRIVED; I HAD ALREADY REMOVED THE DFDR FROM THE ACFT. WHEN I REMOVED THE DFDR; THE PART NUMBER WAS WRITTEN ON TOP OF THE UNIT (A WHITE PRINTED TAG WITH THE PART NUMBER; LOOKED LIKE SOMETHING STORES MIGHT HAVE DONE). THE PART NUMBER THAT WAS ON THE DFDR WAS THE SAME AS THE NUMBER I RECEIVED FROM STORES. I INSTALLED THE NEW UNIT AND CHKED IT. THEN I ENTERED IT IN THE PARTS COMPATIBILITY PROGRAM -- IT ACCEPTED IT. 2 WKS LATER WHEN I RETURNED TO WORK; MY MGR INFORMED ME ABOUT THIS EVENT; AND THAT IT WAS ALREADY CORRECTED. I DON'T KNOW WHO DETECTED THE EVENT OR WHEN. BUT THE PARTS COMPATIBILITY PROGRAM SHOULD NOT HAVE ACCEPTED THE TRACKING TAG AND/OR KICKED IT BACK. AND I WAS TOLD BY MY MGR THE PARTS COMPATIBILITY PROGRAM SHOULD HAVE DONE SOME OTHER THINGS WHEN THIS EVENT HAPPENED. BUT IT DID NOT. AT THE TIME OF THIS EVENT; I BELIEVE I INSTALLED THE CORRECT PART. SUGGESTIONS: 1) TEST THE PARTS COMPATIBILITY PROGRAM TO SEE IF IT DOES WHAT IT SHOULD DO. 2) PUT NOTES OR WARNINGS IN THE PARTS COMPATIBILITY PROGRAM THAT A PART WILL FIT OTHER ACFT. 3) FIND A WAY TO BETTER SEPARATE PART NUMBERS (THE PART THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN INSTALLED AND THE PART I INSTALLED). CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: REPORTER STATED THE NORMAL PROCEDURE FOR DOWNLOADING RECENT FLIGHT DATA FROM THE AIRBUS A319'S DIGITAL FLIGHT DATA RECORDER (DFDR); IS TO USE A MEMORY STICK. BUT; MANY TIMES THEY DO NOT HAVE A STICK AVAILABLE; OR THE LAPTOP COMPUTER THAT IS REQUIRED TO ACCESS AND TRANSFER THE DATA IS OUT OF SERVICE; OR THE WIRE HARNESS THAT IS ALSO NECESSARY FOR THE CONNECTIONS CAN'T BE LOCATED. REPORTER STATED THAT BECAUSE A MEMORY STICK WAS NOT IN STOCK HE DECIDED TO JUST REPLACE THE DFDR AND PERFORM A FAIRLY SIMPLE OPERATIONAL CHECK PER THE AIRCRAFT MAINT MANUAL (AMM). WHEN HE INSTALLED THE NEW DFDR HE NOTICED THE TAG ON THE UNIT STATED THE DFDR MANUFACTURER WAS A BOEING PRODUCT. REPORTER STATED THERE ARE HEXAGON SHAPED LOCATOR PINS ON THE BACK SIDE OF MANY UNITS INCLUDING THE DFDR'S; SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED TO PREVENT INTERMIXING OF DIFFERENT AIRCRAFT MANUFACTURER COMPONENTS. BUT; SINCE THE PART NUMBERS MATCHED AND THE LOCATOR PINS LINED UP AND THE OPERATIONAL TEST PASSED; HE FIGURED HE HAD THE CORRECT PART INSTALLED. REPORTER ALSO STATED HIS CARRIER NO LONGER OVERHAULS OR REPAIRS THE DFDR'S USED IN THEIR AIRCRAFT. HE HAS BEEN QUESTIONING IF THE DFDR HE INSTALLED WAS MISLABELED AS A BOEING PART; WHEN IN FACT THE PART WAS AN AIRBUS UNIT; THAN HOW MANY OTHER DFDR UNITS ARE MISLABELED FROM THE CURRENT SUPPLIER.

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.