Faulty maintenance work on large transport.

Attributes
ACN	291208
Time
Date	199412
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : atl
State Reference	GA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : parked other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
ASRS Report	291208
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Aircraft operating on flight from atl to ewr had some difficulties pressurizing above 6700 ft above sea level. At the same time, the nose gear door light flickered. The problem was traced to 3 small inspection plates being left off while performing a nose chord corrosion inspection in atl. The aircraft completed its flight safely from atl to ewr. As the lead mechanic in charge of the aircraft, I also assumed the inspection responsibilities for the aircraft. This particular inspection involves removing 9 inspection panels and checking the nose chord for corrosion. 3 panels are located in the tunnel area of the nosewheel well and six panels are in the nosewheel well. The mechanic assigned to the job was told by his turnover that he only needed to install 2 panels and the job would be complete. The mechanic and myself were unfamiliar with this phase of the inspection and referred to the plate chart to identify the panels to be reinstalled. We were not aware that any panels in the tunnel area were removed or even needed to be removed. The plate chart and work card south did not depict a clear picture of these panels. The mechanic installed the only panels that were handed to him by his turnover and feeling confident that the job had been performed satisfactorily, I signed for the mechanic's work. Poor communication at turnover, unfamiliarity with the job, and poor work documents were all factors in this incident.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FAULTY MAINT WORK ON LGT.

Narrative: ACFT OPERATING ON FLT FROM ATL TO EWR HAD SOME DIFFICULTIES PRESSURIZING ABOVE 6700 FT ABOVE SEA LEVEL. AT THE SAME TIME, THE NOSE GEAR DOOR LIGHT FLICKERED. THE PROB WAS TRACED TO 3 SMALL INSPECTION PLATES BEING LEFT OFF WHILE PERFORMING A NOSE CHORD CORROSION INSPECTION IN ATL. THE ACFT COMPLETED ITS FLT SAFELY FROM ATL TO EWR. AS THE LEAD MECH IN CHARGE OF THE ACFT, I ALSO ASSUMED THE INSPECTION RESPONSIBILITIES FOR THE ACFT. THIS PARTICULAR INSPECTION INVOLVES REMOVING 9 INSPECTION PANELS AND CHKING THE NOSE CHORD FOR CORROSION. 3 PANELS ARE LOCATED IN THE TUNNEL AREA OF THE NOSEWHEEL WELL AND SIX PANELS ARE IN THE NOSEWHEEL WELL. THE MECH ASSIGNED TO THE JOB WAS TOLD BY HIS TURNOVER THAT HE ONLY NEEDED TO INSTALL 2 PANELS AND THE JOB WOULD BE COMPLETE. THE MECH AND MYSELF WERE UNFAMILIAR WITH THIS PHASE OF THE INSPECTION AND REFERRED TO THE PLATE CHART TO IDENT THE PANELS TO BE REINSTALLED. WE WERE NOT AWARE THAT ANY PANELS IN THE TUNNEL AREA WERE REMOVED OR EVEN NEEDED TO BE REMOVED. THE PLATE CHART AND WORK CARD S DID NOT DEPICT A CLR PICTURE OF THESE PANELS. THE MECH INSTALLED THE ONLY PANELS THAT WERE HANDED TO HIM BY HIS TURNOVER AND FEELING CONFIDENT THAT THE JOB HAD BEEN PERFORMED SATISFACTORILY, I SIGNED FOR THE MECH'S WORK. POOR COM AT TURNOVER, UNFAMILIARITY WITH THE JOB, AND POOR WORK DOCUMENTS WERE ALL FACTORS IN THIS INCIDENT.

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.