A B737-300 was dispatched without the required inspection of a #6 slat actuator replacement.

Attributes
ACN	386459
Time
Date	199710
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
ASRS Report	386459
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I right&right'ed a #6 slat actuator. Our maintenance policy and procedures manual lists a slat actuator installation as a required inspection item. I did not know this, so no required inspection item was done on the installation. I am responsible for this mistake, company policy requires the person installing the part to determine if it requires a required inspection item. I did not go to the maintenance policy and procedures and read the list of items requiring a required inspection item. Slat actuators are on the list. What caused the problem was me not checking the list. I feel that the wording in the maintenance policy and procedures may have contributed. In the required inspection items chapter 27 listing, it states, '...actuating cylinders...used to actuate primary flight controls.' a note at the beginning of the chapter 27 list states 'slats' are included in 'primary controls.' but in my mind primary flight controls are ailerons, elevators and rudders. Slats are secondary flight controls and therefore did not need a required inspection item.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-300 WAS DISPATCHED WITHOUT THE REQUIRED INSPECTION OF A #6 SLAT ACTUATOR REPLACEMENT.

Narrative: I R&R'ED A #6 SLAT ACTUATOR. OUR MAINT POLICY AND PROCS MANUAL LISTS A SLAT ACTUATOR INSTALLATION AS A REQUIRED INSPECTION ITEM. I DID NOT KNOW THIS, SO NO REQUIRED INSPECTION ITEM WAS DONE ON THE INSTALLATION. I AM RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS MISTAKE, COMPANY POLICY REQUIRES THE PERSON INSTALLING THE PART TO DETERMINE IF IT REQUIRES A REQUIRED INSPECTION ITEM. I DID NOT GO TO THE MAINT POLICY AND PROCS AND READ THE LIST OF ITEMS REQUIRING A REQUIRED INSPECTION ITEM. SLAT ACTUATORS ARE ON THE LIST. WHAT CAUSED THE PROB WAS ME NOT CHKING THE LIST. I FEEL THAT THE WORDING IN THE MAINT POLICY AND PROCS MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED. IN THE REQUIRED INSPECTION ITEMS CHAPTER 27 LISTING, IT STATES, '...ACTUATING CYLINDERS...USED TO ACTUATE PRIMARY FLT CTLS.' A NOTE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE CHAPTER 27 LIST STATES 'SLATS' ARE INCLUDED IN 'PRIMARY CTLS.' BUT IN MY MIND PRIMARY FLT CTLS ARE AILERONS, ELEVATORS AND RUDDERS. SLATS ARE SECONDARY FLT CTLS AND THEREFORE DID NOT NEED A REQUIRED INSPECTION ITEM.

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.