Narrative:

I was supervising a #3 engine thrust reverser rig on xxxxx. At approximately XA00L I was in the forward avionics compartment doing a visual inspection for anything that might have been left in the area during 'B' check. At that time I noticed what looked like a piece of floor structure with a crack. I looked closer and determined that at station 401 a section of floor structure was cracked. The crack was in the lower end of a floor beam running horizontally along the radius of the 'U' channel. I checked the area above the floor to determine what might affect the floor support. The area above the floor was not providing any direct support but secured a section of floor board. I continued with the #3 engine reverser issue till approximately XB00L. The shift manager and I were trying to deal with 3 aircraft; 2 of which were in the process of being prepared for release. The 3RD was found to have a damaged engine inlet panel. That aircraft was being prepared to be turned back out to cover the flight for XXX since it was running late. This returned the focus back to finishing XXX to cover its scheduled flight. I neglected to advise the other manager of the floor beam issue and the aircraft was released from maintenance at XC30L. I reported the damage to my sr manager the next day at the start of my shift. I admit that this was a poor judgement call and the item should have been addressed when it was found. This was a 14 hour day. I was not required to stay that long but I was trying to support the shift manager because of the 20 extra people on overtime and the heavy activity that night. I am only bringing this up to give a clrer picture of what took place that night. I realize that there is no justification for not reporting the damage. The aircraft was repaired at the hangar facility the next day when it returned. The part was shipped to facilitate the repair.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DC10-10 WAS FOUND TO HAVE A FLOOR BEAM CRACKED. THIS CRACK WAS NOT DISCLOSED UNTIL THE NEXT DAY AFTER THE AIRPLANE WAS DISPATCHED AND IN SVC.

Narrative: I WAS SUPERVISING A #3 ENG THRUST REVERSER RIG ON XXXXX. AT APPROX XA00L I WAS IN THE FORWARD AVIONICS COMPARTMENT DOING A VISUAL INSPECTION FOR ANYTHING THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN LEFT IN THE AREA DURING 'B' CHK. AT THAT TIME I NOTICED WHAT LOOKED LIKE A PIECE OF FLOOR STRUCTURE WITH A CRACK. I LOOKED CLOSER AND DETERMINED THAT AT STATION 401 A SECTION OF FLOOR STRUCTURE WAS CRACKED. THE CRACK WAS IN THE LOWER END OF A FLOOR BEAM RUNNING HORIZONTALLY ALONG THE RADIUS OF THE 'U' CHANNEL. I CHKED THE AREA ABOVE THE FLOOR TO DETERMINE WHAT MIGHT AFFECT THE FLOOR SUPPORT. THE AREA ABOVE THE FLOOR WAS NOT PROVIDING ANY DIRECT SUPPORT BUT SECURED A SECTION OF FLOOR BOARD. I CONTINUED WITH THE #3 ENG REVERSER ISSUE TILL APPROX XB00L. THE SHIFT MGR AND I WERE TRYING TO DEAL WITH 3 ACFT; 2 OF WHICH WERE IN THE PROCESS OF BEING PREPARED FOR RELEASE. THE 3RD WAS FOUND TO HAVE A DAMAGED ENG INLET PANEL. THAT ACFT WAS BEING PREPARED TO BE TURNED BACK OUT TO COVER THE FLT FOR XXX SINCE IT WAS RUNNING LATE. THIS RETURNED THE FOCUS BACK TO FINISHING XXX TO COVER ITS SCHEDULED FLT. I NEGLECTED TO ADVISE THE OTHER MGR OF THE FLOOR BEAM ISSUE AND THE ACFT WAS RELEASED FROM MAINT AT XC30L. I RPTED THE DAMAGE TO MY SR MGR THE NEXT DAY AT THE START OF MY SHIFT. I ADMIT THAT THIS WAS A POOR JUDGEMENT CALL AND THE ITEM SHOULD HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED WHEN IT WAS FOUND. THIS WAS A 14 HR DAY. I WAS NOT REQUIRED TO STAY THAT LONG BUT I WAS TRYING TO SUPPORT THE SHIFT MGR BECAUSE OF THE 20 EXTRA PEOPLE ON OVERTIME AND THE HVY ACTIVITY THAT NIGHT. I AM ONLY BRINGING THIS UP TO GIVE A CLRER PICTURE OF WHAT TOOK PLACE THAT NIGHT. I REALIZE THAT THERE IS NO JUSTIFICATION FOR NOT RPTING THE DAMAGE. THE ACFT WAS REPAIRED AT THE HANGAR FACILITY THE NEXT DAY WHEN IT RETURNED. THE PART WAS SHIPPED TO FACILITATE THE REPAIR.

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.