Narrative:

Aug/fri/05 ZZZ-ZZZ1 B767ER ship X was prepared for an ETOPS flight to ZZZZ. There was an inbound write-up for the captain's L-2 sliding window experiencing a loud squeal in flight. On aug/wed/05 ZZZ1 maintenance control inserted a maintenance set-up to replace the subject seal. The set-up was not part of the work package on aug/fri/05 but was listed in the ongoing maintenance item list. In an effort to remedy or lessen the problem; I cleaned the seal face; removed debris from the seal area; and removed blockage from the window seal lower inboard aft vent holes. While this task took place; cargo; fuel; passenger; and crew were boarded. In this confign; I was unable to pressurize the aircraft to verify condition and; therefore; briefed the outbound flight crew. The captain was told that the fix could not be verified in the current confign; that the window may continue to leak; and that the seal was set up for replacement due to history. The aircraft was dispatched but experienced continued loud squealing leakage of the captain's L-2 window seal and returned to ZZZ after flying outbound for approximately 2.0 hours. I released the aircraft for service due to my belief that the item was not a safety of flight issue. I reached this decision due to a known history item being allowed to continue in service for 2-3 days prior to my contact with the issue.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B767-300ER WAS DISPATCHED WITH A KNOWN CAPT'S SLIDING WINDOW SEAL AIR LEAK. FLT RETURNED DUE TO LOUD SQUEALING.

Narrative: AUG/FRI/05 ZZZ-ZZZ1 B767ER SHIP X WAS PREPARED FOR AN ETOPS FLT TO ZZZZ. THERE WAS AN INBOUND WRITE-UP FOR THE CAPT'S L-2 SLIDING WINDOW EXPERIENCING A LOUD SQUEAL IN FLT. ON AUG/WED/05 ZZZ1 MAINT CTL INSERTED A MAINT SET-UP TO REPLACE THE SUBJECT SEAL. THE SET-UP WAS NOT PART OF THE WORK PACKAGE ON AUG/FRI/05 BUT WAS LISTED IN THE ONGOING MAINT ITEM LIST. IN AN EFFORT TO REMEDY OR LESSEN THE PROB; I CLEANED THE SEAL FACE; REMOVED DEBRIS FROM THE SEAL AREA; AND REMOVED BLOCKAGE FROM THE WINDOW SEAL LOWER INBOARD AFT VENT HOLES. WHILE THIS TASK TOOK PLACE; CARGO; FUEL; PAX; AND CREW WERE BOARDED. IN THIS CONFIGN; I WAS UNABLE TO PRESSURIZE THE ACFT TO VERIFY CONDITION AND; THEREFORE; BRIEFED THE OUTBOUND FLT CREW. THE CAPT WAS TOLD THAT THE FIX COULD NOT BE VERIFIED IN THE CURRENT CONFIGN; THAT THE WINDOW MAY CONTINUE TO LEAK; AND THAT THE SEAL WAS SET UP FOR REPLACEMENT DUE TO HISTORY. THE ACFT WAS DISPATCHED BUT EXPERIENCED CONTINUED LOUD SQUEALING LEAKAGE OF THE CAPT'S L-2 WINDOW SEAL AND RETURNED TO ZZZ AFTER FLYING OUTBOUND FOR APPROX 2.0 HRS. I RELEASED THE ACFT FOR SVC DUE TO MY BELIEF THAT THE ITEM WAS NOT A SAFETY OF FLT ISSUE. I REACHED THIS DECISION DUE TO A KNOWN HISTORY ITEM BEING ALLOWED TO CONTINUE IN SVC FOR 2-3 DAYS PRIOR TO MY CONTACT WITH THE ISSUE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.