A schweitzer glider on start of tow was halted when the lower right strut end fitting dropped out of the fuselage fitting. Lock pin was found installed incorrectly.

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Attributes
ACN	615981
Time
Date	200405
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : bfi.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Sail Plane
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground other : tow out
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	maintenance : inspector
ASRS Report	615981
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : improper maintenance non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other other
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : schedule pressure performance deficiency : installation performance deficiency : inspection performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Maintenance Human Performance
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

Wing strut end fitting was loose. Loose strut fitting was found after wing was installed. Fitting was replaced in strut without removing strut from wing. Wing strut bolt was replaced and torqued. After strut fitting bolt was installed and torqued, the wing was shook up and down to check connections. They were tight. The bolt was visually checked top and bottom. Bolt internal connection not visible with strut on plane. Wing lifted up strut pulled out. To prevent a recurrence, completely remove strut when installing strut fitting. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated in 40 yrs in aircraft maintenance, this was the first violation ever received. The reporter said with the strut attached the lock pin hole is invisible and it checked ok while lifting the wing up and down. The reporter stated on the start of tow, it was noted the strut became detached and the tow was stopped. The reporter said the strut will be detached from the wing when the strut is installed on the fuselage to avoid issuing the lock pin hole.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A SCHWEITZER GLIDER ON START OF TOW WAS HALTED WHEN THE LOWER R STRUT END FITTING DROPPED OUT OF THE FUSELAGE FITTING. LOCK PIN WAS FOUND INSTALLED INCORRECTLY.

Narrative: WING STRUT END FITTING WAS LOOSE. LOOSE STRUT FITTING WAS FOUND AFTER WING WAS INSTALLED. FITTING WAS REPLACED IN STRUT WITHOUT REMOVING STRUT FROM WING. WING STRUT BOLT WAS REPLACED AND TORQUED. AFTER STRUT FITTING BOLT WAS INSTALLED AND TORQUED, THE WING WAS SHOOK UP AND DOWN TO CHK CONNECTIONS. THEY WERE TIGHT. THE BOLT WAS VISUALLY CHKED TOP AND BOTTOM. BOLT INTERNAL CONNECTION NOT VISIBLE WITH STRUT ON PLANE. WING LIFTED UP STRUT PULLED OUT. TO PREVENT A RECURRENCE, COMPLETELY REMOVE STRUT WHEN INSTALLING STRUT FITTING. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED IN 40 YRS IN ACFT MAINT, THIS WAS THE FIRST VIOLATION EVER RECEIVED. THE RPTR SAID WITH THE STRUT ATTACHED THE LOCK PIN HOLE IS INVISIBLE AND IT CHKED OK WHILE LIFTING THE WING UP AND DOWN. THE RPTR STATED ON THE START OF TOW, IT WAS NOTED THE STRUT BECAME DETACHED AND THE TOW WAS STOPPED. THE RPTR SAID THE STRUT WILL BE DETACHED FROM THE WING WHEN THE STRUT IS INSTALLED ON THE FUSELAGE TO AVOID ISSUING THE LOCK PIN HOLE.

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.