Narrative:

I received an FAA letter concerning the 'B' check inspection of the MD80 aircraft xyz in which I worked. It gives me great concern that the FAA is investigating a job or work card that I might have not done to FAA work standards. I do recall the work card, vyax, for the return air grills in seat rows 16 to 26 on the left side. When I first inspected the grills, I noticed they were extremely dusty. As the card suggests, I began cleaning the grills with a pneumatic air vacuum that I own and a 2 inch brush and removed the loose dust. Then I got a small bucket with water, a mild hand soap, scotch bright pads and cloth towels to dry them off. I began scrubbing them as best as possible. But I do assure you that I did accomplish every step on the card. When I found out about this letter of inspection, I talked to local management and they concurred that maybe the card should be changed to reflect a requirement to remove all grills and possibly soak them clean.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80, DURING A HVY CHK, AN FAA SAFETY INSPECTOR FOUND THE CABIN RETURN AIR GRILLS STILL DIRTY AFTER THE CLEANING JOB CARD WAS SIGNED OFF.

Narrative: I RECEIVED AN FAA LETTER CONCERNING THE 'B' CHK INSPECTION OF THE MD80 ACFT XYZ IN WHICH I WORKED. IT GIVES ME GREAT CONCERN THAT THE FAA IS INVESTIGATING A JOB OR WORK CARD THAT I MIGHT HAVE NOT DONE TO FAA WORK STANDARDS. I DO RECALL THE WORK CARD, VYAX, FOR THE RETURN AIR GRILLS IN SEAT ROWS 16 TO 26 ON THE LEFT SIDE. WHEN I FIRST INSPECTED THE GRILLS, I NOTICED THEY WERE EXTREMELY DUSTY. AS THE CARD SUGGESTS, I BEGAN CLEANING THE GRILLS WITH A PNEUMATIC AIR VACUUM THAT I OWN AND A 2 INCH BRUSH AND REMOVED THE LOOSE DUST. THEN I GOT A SMALL BUCKET WITH WATER, A MILD HAND SOAP, SCOTCH BRIGHT PADS AND CLOTH TOWELS TO DRY THEM OFF. I BEGAN SCRUBBING THEM AS BEST AS POSSIBLE. BUT I DO ASSURE YOU THAT I DID ACCOMPLISH EVERY STEP ON THE CARD. WHEN I FOUND OUT ABOUT THIS LETTER OF INSPECTION, I TALKED TO LCL MGMNT AND THEY CONCURRED THAT MAYBE THE CARD SHOULD BE CHANGED TO REFLECT A REQUIREMENT TO REMOVE ALL GRILLS AND POSSIBLY SOAK THEM CLEAN.

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.