A B727-200 was dispatched in non compliance with a known nose gear door locking mechanism damaged an...

Attributes
ACN	475104
Time
Date	200005
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : parked ground : maintenance
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	maintenance : technician
Qualification	technician : airframe technician : powerplant
Experience	maintenance technician : 14
ASRS Report	475104
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	maintenance : technician
Qualification	technician : powerplant technician : airframe
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : improper maintenance non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : nose gear door warn. other other : 969
Consequence	other other other
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : schedule pressure performance deficiency : repair performance deficiency : fault isolation performance deficiency : inspection
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Maintenance Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

Prior to lubing the nose landing gear drag brace mechanism, I opened the nose landing gear doors for ease and better light. After lubing the nose landing gear drag brace, I closed and locked both nose landing gear doors -- 100% positive of proper door closure and security. Day shift crew took the aircraft over at shift change. Aircraft then went to run-up hole for engine run, then towed back to the hangar pad. Gear doors were still up and locked at this time. Super tug then took the aircraft to the gate where they say they saw the nose landing gear door fall. They tried to push door up, but decided to get the aircraft to the gate and do it there. They then tried to push to nose landing gear door up at the gate. They told nobody of the problem and left the aircraft. The aircraft departed ZZZ and on takeoff, the nose landing gear door departed the aircraft causing an air turn back. I was notified of the incident that night when I came in to work. I am very competent in my work and have no reason to question my ability to do and complete a job like closing and securing the B727 nose landing gear doors properly. I am confident that the nose landing gear doors were closed, locked and secured properly.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B727-200 WAS DISPATCHED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH A KNOWN NOSE GEAR DOOR LOCKING MECHANISM DAMAGED AND NOT CORRECTED.

Narrative: PRIOR TO LUBING THE NOSE LNDG GEAR DRAG BRACE MECHANISM, I OPENED THE NOSE LNDG GEAR DOORS FOR EASE AND BETTER LIGHT. AFTER LUBING THE NOSE LNDG GEAR DRAG BRACE, I CLOSED AND LOCKED BOTH NOSE LNDG GEAR DOORS -- 100% POSITIVE OF PROPER DOOR CLOSURE AND SECURITY. DAY SHIFT CREW TOOK THE ACFT OVER AT SHIFT CHANGE. ACFT THEN WENT TO RUN-UP HOLE FOR ENG RUN, THEN TOWED BACK TO THE HANGAR PAD. GEAR DOORS WERE STILL UP AND LOCKED AT THIS TIME. SUPER TUG THEN TOOK THE ACFT TO THE GATE WHERE THEY SAY THEY SAW THE NOSE LNDG GEAR DOOR FALL. THEY TRIED TO PUSH DOOR UP, BUT DECIDED TO GET THE ACFT TO THE GATE AND DO IT THERE. THEY THEN TRIED TO PUSH TO NOSE LNDG GEAR DOOR UP AT THE GATE. THEY TOLD NOBODY OF THE PROB AND LEFT THE ACFT. THE ACFT DEPARTED ZZZ AND ON TKOF, THE NOSE LNDG GEAR DOOR DEPARTED THE ACFT CAUSING AN AIR TURN BACK. I WAS NOTIFIED OF THE INCIDENT THAT NIGHT WHEN I CAME IN TO WORK. I AM VERY COMPETENT IN MY WORK AND HAVE NO REASON TO QUESTION MY ABILITY TO DO AND COMPLETE A JOB LIKE CLOSING AND SECURING THE B727 NOSE LNDG GEAR DOORS PROPERLY. I AM CONFIDENT THAT THE NOSE LNDG GEAR DOORS WERE CLOSED, LOCKED AND SECURED PROPERLY.

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 B727-200 was dispatched in non compliance with a known nose gear door locking mechanism damaged and not corrected.