<< >> NASA ASRS Report 566583, November 2002

A B737-300 heavy check technician reports emergency oxygen canister heat shields in the lavatories and above the flight attendant's seat were modified.

Attributes
ACN	566583
Time
Date	200211
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : maintenance
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	maintenance : technician
Qualification	technician : airframe technician : powerplant technician : inspection authority
Experience	maintenance technician : 16
ASRS Report	566583
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	oversight : supervisor
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe maintenance problem : improper maintenance maintenance problem : improper documentation non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other other : person 1
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : manuals contributing factor : work cards performance deficiency : scheduled maintenance performance deficiency : inspection
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Chart Or Publication Aircraft Maintenance Human Performance
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

During inspection of a B737 flight attendant and lavatory oxygen generator and mask boxes, I noticed that some of the heat shields for the generators had areas cut and removed presumably to facilitate reading the generator expiration date. I made write-ups for this damage to safety equipment. Maintenance did not want to replace the shields and was able to get my inspection supervisor to signoff and approve the damage as ok for service. Neither maintenance nor inspection supervision had any supporting documentation for not replacing the shields. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the expanded heat shield holes is probably not a safety item as when the emergency oxygen door is opened and the canister fires it is adequately vented. The reporter said the supervisor bought off the report with no documentation or allowable limits on the heat shield.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-300 HVY CHK TECHNICIAN RPTS EMER OXYGEN CANISTER HEAT SHIELDS IN THE LAVATORIES AND ABOVE THE FLT ATTENDANT'S SEAT WERE MODIFIED.

Narrative: DURING INSPECTION OF A B737 FLT ATTENDANT AND LAVATORY OXYGEN GENERATOR AND MASK BOXES, I NOTICED THAT SOME OF THE HEAT SHIELDS FOR THE GENERATORS HAD AREAS CUT AND REMOVED PRESUMABLY TO FACILITATE READING THE GENERATOR EXPIRATION DATE. I MADE WRITE-UPS FOR THIS DAMAGE TO SAFETY EQUIP. MAINT DID NOT WANT TO REPLACE THE SHIELDS AND WAS ABLE TO GET MY INSPECTION SUPVR TO SIGNOFF AND APPROVE THE DAMAGE AS OK FOR SVC. NEITHER MAINT NOR INSPECTION SUPERVISION HAD ANY SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION FOR NOT REPLACING THE SHIELDS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE EXPANDED HEAT SHIELD HOLES IS PROBABLY NOT A SAFETY ITEM AS WHEN THE EMER OXYGEN DOOR IS OPENED AND THE CANISTER FIRES IT IS ADEQUATELY VENTED. THE RPTR SAID THE SUPVR BOUGHT OFF THE RPT WITH NO DOCUMENTATION OR ALLOWABLE LIMITS ON THE HEAT SHIELD.

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.