An EMB135 was reported to have an aileron flutter. Twenty days later; the captain's aileron control ...

Attributes
ACN	705444
Time
Date	200608
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	EMB ERJ 135 ER&LR
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : maintenance
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	maintenance : technician
Qualification	technician : powerplant technician : airframe
ASRS Report	705444
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : improper maintenance non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Consequence	other
Factors
Maintenance	performance deficiency : inspection
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Maintenance Human Performance
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

On aug/wed/06 it was brought to my attention that a rag was found in the captain's side aileron control servo; which caused an aileron flutter. Further inspection found a rag caught in the captain's yoke control chain. It was brought to my attention because I was the last documented maintenance in that area. I had replaced and installed 3 yoke boot snaps on the captain's yoke. I remember performing the task; and I did utilize a rag to keep parts and debris from falling out of reach if I had dropped anything. I did however check prior to job close-up; and I am certain that I had gathered everything I had used to perform the task. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated this event happened 20 days after the work was performed on the boot snaps on the captain's yoke. The reporter said the rag used to prevent dirt and debris from dropping below the cockpit floor into the yoke assembly was removed when the job was finished. The rag was accounted for during the tool count.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN EMB135 WAS RPTED TO HAVE AN AILERON FLUTTER. TWENTY DAYS LATER; THE CAPT'S AILERON CTL SERVO FAILED AND A RAG WAS FOUND CAUGHT IN THE CTL CHAIN.

Narrative: ON AUG/WED/06 IT WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTN THAT A RAG WAS FOUND IN THE CAPT'S SIDE AILERON CTL SERVO; WHICH CAUSED AN AILERON FLUTTER. FURTHER INSPECTION FOUND A RAG CAUGHT IN THE CAPT'S YOKE CTL CHAIN. IT WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTN BECAUSE I WAS THE LAST DOCUMENTED MAINT IN THAT AREA. I HAD REPLACED AND INSTALLED 3 YOKE BOOT SNAPS ON THE CAPT'S YOKE. I REMEMBER PERFORMING THE TASK; AND I DID UTILIZE A RAG TO KEEP PARTS AND DEBRIS FROM FALLING OUT OF REACH IF I HAD DROPPED ANYTHING. I DID HOWEVER CHK PRIOR TO JOB CLOSE-UP; AND I AM CERTAIN THAT I HAD GATHERED EVERYTHING I HAD USED TO PERFORM THE TASK. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THIS EVENT HAPPENED 20 DAYS AFTER THE WORK WAS PERFORMED ON THE BOOT SNAPS ON THE CAPT'S YOKE. THE RPTR SAID THE RAG USED TO PREVENT DIRT AND DEBRIS FROM DROPPING BELOW THE COCKPIT FLOOR INTO THE YOKE ASSEMBLY WAS REMOVED WHEN THE JOB WAS FINISHED. THE RAG WAS ACCOUNTED FOR DURING THE TOOL COUNT.

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.

An EMB135 was reported to have an aileron flutter. Twenty days later; the captain's aileron control servo failed and a rag was found caught in the control chain.