Narrative:

On dec/xx/94, B-727 aircraft on flight atl-ewr was unable to pressurize sufficiently to attain cruise altitude and continued on to ewr at a lower altitude. In ewr maintenance discovered 3 panels (panel numbers 3126,3127 and 3128 -- see plate chart attached) forward of the electronics compartment and over the nose landing gear wheel well missing. The panels were installed and the aircraft pressure checked normal at that time. Since my lead mechanic had signed the inspector block and I had signed the mechanic block of the routine maintenance card we were found to be at fault. Attached is a copy of the statement I made to the airlines (for clarification purposes). Factors I believe should be considered to help avoid a possible recurrence of this situation are 1) a more complete verbal turnover from the prior maintenance crew performing the work. 2) the lead mechanic and myself more positively identing the plates we were signing for 3) the plate chart and routine maintenance card more clearly identing the plates found missing. Accident/incident report: on dec/xx/94 I received turnover on aircraft -- job operation -- nlg chord walkway inspection turnover was to fish oil the nose chord area and close 2 each panels in the nosewheel well. After having complied with the fish oil application and installing the 2 panels, I reviewed the routine card prior to signing for 9 total panels, yet I had only installed 2. I checked the plate chart at that time to be sure what I was signing for and felt certain that all 9 panels were located in the nosewheel well. Double-checking the nosewheel well I found no missing panels and therefore assumed the dayshift crew had installed them. I signed the routine card off and notified my lead mechanic that the job was complete.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MECH RPT ON MISSING PANELS ON A B-727 THAT CAUSED A PRESSURIZATION PROB FOR THE CREW.

Narrative: ON DEC/XX/94, B-727 ACFT ON FLT ATL-EWR WAS UNABLE TO PRESSURIZE SUFFICIENTLY TO ATTAIN CRUISE ALT AND CONTINUED ON TO EWR AT A LOWER ALT. IN EWR MAINT DISCOVERED 3 PANELS (PANEL NUMBERS 3126,3127 AND 3128 -- SEE PLATE CHART ATTACHED) FORWARD OF THE ELECTRONICS COMPARTMENT AND OVER THE NOSE LNDG GEAR WHEEL WELL MISSING. THE PANELS WERE INSTALLED AND THE ACFT PRESSURE CHKED NORMAL AT THAT TIME. SINCE MY LEAD MECH HAD SIGNED THE INSPECTOR BLOCK AND I HAD SIGNED THE MECH BLOCK OF THE ROUTINE MAINT CARD WE WERE FOUND TO BE AT FAULT. ATTACHED IS A COPY OF THE STATEMENT I MADE TO THE AIRLINES (FOR CLARIFICATION PURPOSES). FACTORS I BELIEVE SHOULD BE CONSIDERED TO HELP AVOID A POSSIBLE RECURRENCE OF THIS SIT ARE 1) A MORE COMPLETE VERBAL TURNOVER FROM THE PRIOR MAINT CREW PERFORMING THE WORK. 2) THE LEAD MECH AND MYSELF MORE POSITIVELY IDENTING THE PLATES WE WERE SIGNING FOR 3) THE PLATE CHART AND ROUTINE MAINT CARD MORE CLRLY IDENTING THE PLATES FOUND MISSING. ACCIDENT/INCIDENT RPT: ON DEC/XX/94 I RECEIVED TURNOVER ON ACFT -- JOB OP -- NLG CHORD WALKWAY INSPECTION TURNOVER WAS TO FISH OIL THE NOSE CHORD AREA AND CLOSE 2 EACH PANELS IN THE NOSEWHEEL WELL. AFTER HAVING COMPLIED WITH THE FISH OIL APPLICATION AND INSTALLING THE 2 PANELS, I REVIEWED THE ROUTINE CARD PRIOR TO SIGNING FOR 9 TOTAL PANELS, YET I HAD ONLY INSTALLED 2. I CHKED THE PLATE CHART AT THAT TIME TO BE SURE WHAT I WAS SIGNING FOR AND FELT CERTAIN THAT ALL 9 PANELS WERE LOCATED IN THE NOSEWHEEL WELL. DOUBLE-CHKING THE NOSEWHEEL WELL I FOUND NO MISSING PANELS AND THEREFORE ASSUMED THE DAYSHIFT CREW HAD INSTALLED THEM. I SIGNED THE ROUTINE CARD OFF AND NOTIFIED MY LEAD MECH THAT THE JOB WAS COMPLETE.

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.