Narrative:

I found the left wing inboard aileron trim tab had excessive side play (axial play) at the hinges. The play measured close to 'one-eighth.' no limits for play could be found, only a installation tolerance of '.OO5.' the lug gripe I wrote was signed off by a supervisor. I told my maintenance lead that I did not feel comfortable releasing the aircraft with my name in the maintenance release. The lead signed the aircraft release saying the aircraft was airworthy. Preparing to push the aircraft. From the gate, aircraft APU had an automatic shutdown. The APU was deferred per the MEL. A new aircraft release would have to be made in order to show the APU was deferred inoperative. The aircraft release document is carried in the aircraft log and is where the mechanics sign that the aircraft is in airworthy condition after any maintenance is performed. After deferring the APU I had to rerelease the aircraft in order to get a new maintenance release document. In the rush to get the AC out for the trip, I forgot that I felt this airplane was unairworthy because of the loose aileron trim tab. By me rereleasing the aircraft, it overrode my lead's previous release, which I refused to do/or sign. It did not come to my attention what I had done until the next day when I thought about what took place while reporting the incident to the FAA. In effect, I released an aircraft that I felt was unairworthy as airworthy. I think by having my supervisor called from his office to have to get the aircraft 'out of town' intimidated me to the point of fear and not rational thoughts were made by me after this took place. I was feeling much anxiety.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MECH RPT REGARDING SIGN OFF OF UNAIRWORTHY ACFT.

Narrative: I FOUND THE L WING INBOARD AILERON TRIM TAB HAD EXCESSIVE SIDE PLAY (AXIAL PLAY) AT THE HINGES. THE PLAY MEASURED CLOSE TO 'ONE-EIGHTH.' NO LIMITS FOR PLAY COULD BE FOUND, ONLY A INSTALLATION TOLERANCE OF '.OO5.' THE LUG GRIPE I WROTE WAS SIGNED OFF BY A SUPVR. I TOLD MY MAINT LEAD THAT I DID NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE RELEASING THE ACFT WITH MY NAME IN THE MAINT RELEASE. THE LEAD SIGNED THE ACFT RELEASE SAYING THE ACFT WAS AIRWORTHY. PREPARING TO PUSH THE ACFT. FROM THE GATE, ACFT APU HAD AN AUTO SHUTDOWN. THE APU WAS DEFERRED PER THE MEL. A NEW ACFT RELEASE WOULD HAVE TO BE MADE IN ORDER TO SHOW THE APU WAS DEFERRED INOP. THE ACFT RELEASE DOCUMENT IS CARRIED IN THE ACFT LOG AND IS WHERE THE MECHANICS SIGN THAT THE ACFT IS IN AIRWORTHY CONDITION AFTER ANY MAINT IS PERFORMED. AFTER DEFERRING THE APU I HAD TO RERELEASE THE ACFT IN ORDER TO GET A NEW MAINT RELEASE DOCUMENT. IN THE RUSH TO GET THE AC OUT FOR THE TRIP, I FORGOT THAT I FELT THIS AIRPLANE WAS UNAIRWORTHY BECAUSE OF THE LOOSE AILERON TRIM TAB. BY ME RERELEASING THE ACFT, IT OVERRODE MY LEAD'S PREVIOUS RELEASE, WHICH I REFUSED TO DO/OR SIGN. IT DID NOT COME TO MY ATTN WHAT I HAD DONE UNTIL THE NEXT DAY WHEN I THOUGHT ABOUT WHAT TOOK PLACE WHILE RPTING THE INCIDENT TO THE FAA. IN EFFECT, I RELEASED AN ACFT THAT I FELT WAS UNAIRWORTHY AS AIRWORTHY. I THINK BY HAVING MY SUPVR CALLED FROM HIS OFFICE TO HAVE TO GET THE ACFT 'OUT OF TOWN' INTIMIDATED ME TO THE POINT OF FEAR AND NOT RATIONAL THOUGHTS WERE MADE BY ME AFTER THIS TOOK PLACE. I WAS FEELING MUCH ANXIETY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 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.