B737 first officer notices slightly different electrical panel during preflight and queries maintena...

Attributes
ACN	836599
Time
Date	200905
Local Time Of Day	0001-0600
Place
Locale Reference	ZZZ.Airport
State Reference	US
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	Parked Taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Component
Aircraft Component	Electrical/Electronic Panel & Parts
Person 1
Function	First Officer Pilot Not Flying
Qualification	Flight Crew Multiengine Flight Crew Instrument Flight Crew Flight Instructor Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP) Flight Crew Flight Engineer
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 150 Flight Crew Total 11700 Flight Crew Type 2900
Events
Anomaly	Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical Deviation - Procedural Maintenance Deviation - Procedural FAR

Narrative:

During preflight; I noticed the AC/dc metering panel on the cockpit overhead panel was slightly different than I'd seen normally installed in our 737's. I looked in the aircraft flight manual and found that the panel in question is installed on the newer aircraft in our fleet; so I conferred with the captain. He called our maintenance and engineering department and explained the situation. During their conversation; it was determined that the new panel is currently installed on our newer models in the fleet and would be installed on the older models as well; so we could legally depart. After we had departed the gate; it was discovered by our maintenance and engineering department that the new panel had not been approved for use in the older aircraft at this time. During taxi-out we received an ACARS message telling us not to takeoff and return to the gate. After an unsuccessful search for a replacement panel; the flight was cancelled. It is my belief that a contributing factor in this situation is a manager's decision to cut costs by removing the older panels from inventory leaving only the newer ones available.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 First Officer notices slightly different electrical panel during preflight and queries maintenance. Maintenance replied that the newer panel was being installed in the older B737's and is acceptable. During taxi out the decision ias reversed and the crew instructed to return to the gate.

Narrative: During preflight; I noticed the AC/DC metering panel on the cockpit overhead panel was slightly different than I'd seen normally installed in our 737's. I looked in the aircraft flight manual and found that the panel in question is installed on the newer aircraft in our fleet; so I conferred with the Captain. He called our Maintenance and Engineering department and explained the situation. During their conversation; It was determined that the new panel is currently installed on our newer models in the fleet and would be installed on the older models as well; so we could legally depart. After we had departed the gate; it was discovered by our Maintenance and Engineering department that the new panel had not been approved for use in the older aircraft at this time. During taxi-out we received an ACARS message telling us not to takeoff and return to the gate. After an unsuccessful search for a replacement panel; the flight was cancelled. It is my belief that a contributing factor in this situation is a manager's decision to cut costs by removing the older panels from inventory leaving only the newer ones available.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.

B737 first officer notices slightly different electrical panel during preflight and queries maintenance. Maintenance replied that the newer panel was being installed in the older B737's and is acceptable. During taxi out the decision ias reversed and the crew instructed to return to the gate.