EMB ERJ 145 ER/LR
Maintenance Airframe; Maintenance Powerplant
Situational Awareness; Time Pressure; Confusion
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Maintenance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
General Maintenance Action
Human Factors; Equipment / Tooling
I was servicing the Number 1 Hydraulic (HYD) System on an EMB-145 aircraft. I went over to where the servicing carts are and chose a X-colored cart with the correct [fitting] hook-up on the service port for the EMB airplane; which I thought had Skydrol; since the CRJ aircraft has Skydrol [hydraulic fluid] in the same X-colored cart. The other employees were waiting on me so they could turn on the HYD. As soon as I had serviced the plane and had disconnected; they turned the HYD on. I noticed the wrong color of the HYD fluid [from the cart] which made me realize that I had serviced the EMB-145 with MIL-H-5606 (red) hydraulic fluid. I checked the service cart and had the system shut down and reported it to the Lead Mechanic. This incident occurred due to an end of shift time crunch combined with the CRJ Skydrol cart and the MIL-H-5606 hydraulic fluid cart being identical in design and color. The only exception is that the MIL-H-5606 hydraulic fluid cart has a fitting that will connect to the EMB-145 Hydraulic System. [Recommend that] to prevent a future occurrence; regardless of fleet type; the all fluid carts should be color coded to match either the fluid contained within; or the Manufacturer's original packaging. To further prevent such an incident; fluid fittings should be standardized to prevent Skydrol systems being serviced with MIL-H-5606 hydraulic fluid. Hangar; A-Check and Periodic Service Check (PS-2).
An Aircraft Maintenance Technician (AMT) reports he inadvertently serviced the Number 1 Hydraulic System on an EMB-145 aircraft with MIL-H-5606 red hydraulic fluid instead of blue Skydrol hydraulic fluid. Technician recommends that hydraulic fluid fittings be standardized to prevent Skydrol systems being serviced with MIL-H-5606 hydraulic fluid.