A B767-300 was dispatched after heavy maintenance was performed with a cargo compartment ceiling pan...

Attributes
ACN	387702
Time
Date	199712
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B767-300 and 300 ER
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	387702
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	observation : air carrier inspector
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

On the night of dec/xx/97 I was part of a group of mechanics assigned to perform a layover inspection on aircraft YYY, a B767-er that air carrier purchased from xyz. This aircraft was flown up from the maintenance facility, XXX, where it had undergone extensive modifications. This being the case, I performed only a cursory inspection of the cargo compartment for condition and security, as I believed the cargo compartment had been inspected and repaired as necessary as part of its presvc checks while at XXX. Because I did not see any 'big pieces' missing, I believed the cargo compartment was ok for service. Upon inspection, the FAA inspector found some of the joint sealing tape was loose, and a compartment light trim ring was found to be unsecured, causing the ceiling panel to sag. The unsecured trim ring and the loose tape were probably a result of being removed while at XXX, and not being properly documented, they were never reinstalled. Several other mechanics had been in the cargo compartments at one point or another, and none had noted the defects, however, none of us expected to find problems like this from an aircraft that had just undergone major maintenance and had not yet been put back into service.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B767-300 WAS DISPATCHED AFTER HVY MAINT WAS PERFORMED WITH A CARGO COMPARTMENT CEILING PANEL IMPROPERLY REPAIRED.

Narrative: ON THE NIGHT OF DEC/XX/97 I WAS PART OF A GROUP OF MECHS ASSIGNED TO PERFORM A LAYOVER INSPECTION ON ACFT YYY, A B767-ER THAT ACR PURCHASED FROM XYZ. THIS ACFT WAS FLOWN UP FROM THE MAINT FACILITY, XXX, WHERE IT HAD UNDERGONE EXTENSIVE MODIFICATIONS. THIS BEING THE CASE, I PERFORMED ONLY A CURSORY INSPECTION OF THE CARGO COMPARTMENT FOR CONDITION AND SECURITY, AS I BELIEVED THE CARGO COMPARTMENT HAD BEEN INSPECTED AND REPAIRED AS NECESSARY AS PART OF ITS PRESVC CHKS WHILE AT XXX. BECAUSE I DID NOT SEE ANY 'BIG PIECES' MISSING, I BELIEVED THE CARGO COMPARTMENT WAS OK FOR SVC. UPON INSPECTION, THE FAA INSPECTOR FOUND SOME OF THE JOINT SEALING TAPE WAS LOOSE, AND A COMPARTMENT LIGHT TRIM RING WAS FOUND TO BE UNSECURED, CAUSING THE CEILING PANEL TO SAG. THE UNSECURED TRIM RING AND THE LOOSE TAPE WERE PROBABLY A RESULT OF BEING REMOVED WHILE AT XXX, AND NOT BEING PROPERLY DOCUMENTED, THEY WERE NEVER REINSTALLED. SEVERAL OTHER MECHANICS HAD BEEN IN THE CARGO COMPARTMENTS AT ONE POINT OR ANOTHER, AND NONE HAD NOTED THE DEFECTS, HOWEVER, NONE OF US EXPECTED TO FIND PROBS LIKE THIS FROM AN ACFT THAT HAD JUST UNDERGONE MAJOR MAINT AND HAD NOT YET BEEN PUT BACK INTO SVC.

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.

A B767-300 was dispatched after heavy maintenance was performed with a cargo compartment ceiling panel improperly repaired.