A maintenance controller directs maintenance to remove a broken seat back at an emergency exit row o...

Attributes
ACN	809049
Time
Date	200810
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : maintenance ground : maintenance
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel other
ASRS Report	809049
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : improper maintenance maintenance problem : non compliance with mel maintenance problem : improper documentation non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other other : 1
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Factors
Maintenance	performance deficiency : logbook entry performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Maintenance Human Performance
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

I was the team lead on duty when the controller notified me of a seat at the emergency exit row that had a broken seat back frame. The aircraft was located and a search of seat part numbers revealed we had none of these seats in stock. This is an unusual seat and not used on many of our aircraft. There were none of these seats available on the OTS aircraft. We researched the parts needed in the cmm and determined we did not stock the necessary parts. I instructed the controller to MEL the seat. I became so focused on the fact this seat occupied an emergency exit row; I instructed the controller to remove the affected seatbacks to prevent possible egress obstruction in the event one of the seatbacks broke over and blocked the exit. I am aware of the restrs of removing seat backs; but it just didn't occur to me at the time. Later in the day; after I got home; I realized my mistake and called maintenance control. We took the aircraft OTS; robbed a seat from another OTS aircraft; installed seat and cleared MEL.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A MAINTENANCE CONTROLLER DIRECTS MAINTENANCE TO REMOVE A BROKEN SEAT BACK AT AN EMERGENCY EXIT ROW OF SEATS; ON A B737-300 AND DEFERS ITEM. CONTROLLER REALIZES LATER THE RESTRICTIONS ON SEAT BACK REMOVAL AT EXIT ROWS AND HAS SEAT REPLACED.

Narrative: I WAS THE TEAM LEAD ON DUTY WHEN THE CTLR NOTIFIED ME OF A SEAT AT THE EMER EXIT ROW THAT HAD A BROKEN SEAT BACK FRAME. THE ACFT WAS LOCATED AND A SEARCH OF SEAT PART NUMBERS REVEALED WE HAD NONE OF THESE SEATS IN STOCK. THIS IS AN UNUSUAL SEAT AND NOT USED ON MANY OF OUR ACFT. THERE WERE NONE OF THESE SEATS AVAILABLE ON THE OTS ACFT. WE RESEARCHED THE PARTS NEEDED IN THE CMM AND DETERMINED WE DID NOT STOCK THE NECESSARY PARTS. I INSTRUCTED THE CTLR TO MEL THE SEAT. I BECAME SO FOCUSED ON THE FACT THIS SEAT OCCUPIED AN EMER EXIT ROW; I INSTRUCTED THE CTLR TO REMOVE THE AFFECTED SEATBACKS TO PREVENT POSSIBLE EGRESS OBSTRUCTION IN THE EVENT ONE OF THE SEATBACKS BROKE OVER AND BLOCKED THE EXIT. I AM AWARE OF THE RESTRS OF REMOVING SEAT BACKS; BUT IT JUST DIDN'T OCCUR TO ME AT THE TIME. LATER IN THE DAY; AFTER I GOT HOME; I REALIZED MY MISTAKE AND CALLED MAINT CTL. WE TOOK THE ACFT OTS; ROBBED A SEAT FROM ANOTHER OTS ACFT; INSTALLED SEAT AND CLRED MEL.

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.

A maintenance controller directs maintenance to remove a broken seat back at an emergency exit row of seats; on a B737-300 and defers item. Controller realizes later the restrictions on seat back removal at exit rows and has seat replaced.