Mechanic left tools on aircraft -- caused damage.

Attributes
ACN	315627
Time
Date	199509
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : nd73 airport : wd73
State Reference	LA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : n90
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Bell Helicopter Textron Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel other other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
ASRS Report	315627
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Tooling for flight control rigging was left on aircraft. Human factors: emotional, I had just ended a 6 yr relationship. Fatigue, change from night to day schedule. Distraction, a request was made to leak check another aircraft. However, I failed to inventory tooling at completion of job and failed to get another person to inspect behind me after job completion. Sep/xx/95 I was checking the rigging of a tail rotor on bell 206L-3. I was interrupted by a request to leak check another aircraft. I removed the rigging tooling and went into the hangar, set them down and went to the other aircraft, believing at the time all items had been removed. After completing the leak check I took a break. The aircraft departed, and when I went to put away the tooling I found the 2-PIECE tool (used to immobilize the flapping of the tail rotor during rigging) was missing. A phone call followed by a radio call to the pilot was made. He landed and found the tool still installed. A mechanic was sent offshore to inspect for damage and except for a small amount of paint abrasion none was found. Tail rotor was changed for further inspection. I was called in for a company board of inquiry at the end of my 7 day work schedule on sep/xx/95 and my employment was terminated.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MECH LEFT TOOLS ON ACFT -- CAUSED DAMAGE.

Narrative: TOOLING FOR FLT CTL RIGGING WAS LEFT ON ACFT. HUMAN FACTORS: EMOTIONAL, I HAD JUST ENDED A 6 YR RELATIONSHIP. FATIGUE, CHANGE FROM NIGHT TO DAY SCHEDULE. DISTR, A REQUEST WAS MADE TO LEAK CHK ANOTHER ACFT. HOWEVER, I FAILED TO INVENTORY TOOLING AT COMPLETION OF JOB AND FAILED TO GET ANOTHER PERSON TO INSPECT BEHIND ME AFTER JOB COMPLETION. SEP/XX/95 I WAS CHKING THE RIGGING OF A TAIL ROTOR ON BELL 206L-3. I WAS INTERRUPTED BY A REQUEST TO LEAK CHK ANOTHER ACFT. I REMOVED THE RIGGING TOOLING AND WENT INTO THE HANGAR, SET THEM DOWN AND WENT TO THE OTHER ACFT, BELIEVING AT THE TIME ALL ITEMS HAD BEEN REMOVED. AFTER COMPLETING THE LEAK CHK I TOOK A BREAK. THE ACFT DEPARTED, AND WHEN I WENT TO PUT AWAY THE TOOLING I FOUND THE 2-PIECE TOOL (USED TO IMMOBILIZE THE FLAPPING OF THE TAIL ROTOR DURING RIGGING) WAS MISSING. A PHONE CALL FOLLOWED BY A RADIO CALL TO THE PLT WAS MADE. HE LANDED AND FOUND THE TOOL STILL INSTALLED. A MECH WAS SENT OFFSHORE TO INSPECT FOR DAMAGE AND EXCEPT FOR A SMALL AMOUNT OF PAINT ABRASION NONE WAS FOUND. TAIL ROTOR WAS CHANGED FOR FURTHER INSPECTION. I WAS CALLED IN FOR A COMPANY BOARD OF INQUIRY AT THE END OF MY 7 DAY WORK SCHEDULE ON SEP/XX/95 AND MY EMPLOYMENT WAS TERMINATED.

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.