<< >> NASA ASRS Report 282784, September 1994

Air carrier ground mechanic discovers a delamination of 1 aileron on a B-737-300 aircraft at the gate during an 'a' check inspection.

Attributes
ACN	282784
Time
Date	199409
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord
State Reference	IL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : luk
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	ground : parked ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
ASRS Report	282784
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel other oversight : supervisor
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

After accomplishing an a check on a 737-300, the top of the right aileron was found to have a delamination that you could not see from the ground with flaps up or down. The 'a' check form tells you to check the aircraft from the ground. From the ground you could not see the delamination. The check should tell you to feel the aileron for delamination. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: on callback reporter stated that the current check 'a' form says the condition of the aileron is to be noted '...as viewed from the ground...' the corrective procedure in this case of delamination was to change the entire aileron. He brought this matter to the attention of the foreman. The revised form will have the maintenance personnel view the aileron 'from the window...' reporter doesn't think that looking out the window in the dark of evening will solve the problem of close up inspection. He now gets a ladder for the 'feel type' inspection and thinks the inspection form should have this methodology stated as the procedure. This check 'a' inspection is performed every 125-130 hours on the B-737. This was a B-737-00 series aircraft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR GND MECHANIC DISCOVERS A DELAMINATION OF 1 AILERON ON A B-737-300 ACFT AT THE GATE DURING AN 'A' CHK INSPECTION.

Narrative: AFTER ACCOMPLISHING AN A CHK ON A 737-300, THE TOP OF THE R AILERON WAS FOUND TO HAVE A DELAMINATION THAT YOU COULD NOT SEE FROM THE GND WITH FLAPS UP OR DOWN. THE 'A' CHK FORM TELLS YOU TO CHK THE ACFT FROM THE GND. FROM THE GND YOU COULD NOT SEE THE DELAMINATION. THE CHK SHOULD TELL YOU TO FEEL THE AILERON FOR DELAMINATION. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: ON CALLBACK RPTR STATED THAT THE CURRENT CHK 'A' FORM SAYS THE CONDITION OF THE AILERON IS TO BE NOTED '...AS VIEWED FROM THE GND...' THE CORRECTIVE PROC IN THIS CASE OF DELAMINATION WAS TO CHANGE THE ENTIRE AILERON. HE BROUGHT THIS MATTER TO THE ATTN OF THE FOREMAN. THE REVISED FORM WILL HAVE THE MAINT PERSONNEL VIEW THE AILERON 'FROM THE WINDOW...' RPTR DOESN'T THINK THAT LOOKING OUT THE WINDOW IN THE DARK OF EVENING WILL SOLVE THE PROB OF CLOSE UP INSPECTION. HE NOW GETS A LADDER FOR THE 'FEEL TYPE' INSPECTION AND THINKS THE INSPECTION FORM SHOULD HAVE THIS METHODOLOGY STATED AS THE PROC. THIS CHK 'A' INSPECTION IS PERFORMED EVERY 125-130 HRS ON THE B-737. THIS WAS A B-737-00 SERIES ACFT.

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.