A B747-400 was returned to service after maintenance with 2 fan reverser cascade vanes missing.

Attributes
ACN	397493
Time
Date	199803
Day	Tue
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	B747-400
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	397493
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel other
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	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I was working on a B747-400 thrust reverser modification. I removed 2 cascade vanes for access. I intended to replace the cascades on the same shift. I did not have time to replace the cascades and failed to document their removal. I should have copied/wrote up a non routine and red tagged the cascade vanes as soon as I removed them.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B747-400 WAS RETURNED TO SVC AFTER MAINT WITH 2 FAN REVERSER CASCADE VANES MISSING.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING ON A B747-400 THRUST REVERSER MODIFICATION. I REMOVED 2 CASCADE VANES FOR ACCESS. I INTENDED TO REPLACE THE CASCADES ON THE SAME SHIFT. I DID NOT HAVE TIME TO REPLACE THE CASCADES AND FAILED TO DOCUMENT THEIR REMOVAL. I SHOULD HAVE COPIED/WROTE UP A NON ROUTINE AND RED TAGGED THE CASCADE VANES AS SOON AS I REMOVED THEM.

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.