Narrative:

I was assigned a maintenance service and the RAT check with another mechanic. We finished most of the service and began to set up for the RAT check. I installed the RAT cage and utilized a blanket for a pad to prevent abrasion to the lower fuselage. The blanket was secured with upward pressure from the RAT cage. The initial spin-up sucked the blanket and made contact with the blade. I went to inspect the RAT and found the edge/tip curled. The damage was immediately reported to my lead. The known factor on this shift is the continuous feeling of fatigue with a general poor lighting condition everywhere. The lack of formal training and infrequency led to uncertainty. The missing pad on the RAT cage led to a compromise with the blanket. Supplemental information from acn 776024: he then jacked the cage up and pinned the blanket against the fuselage with just an inch or two inside the cage. Somehow during RAT spin-up; the blanket was drawn into the cage and got caught in RAT and bent a blade tip. Also; I was not actually involved in the setup. I just happened to observe the cage after the setup was complete.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN AIRBUS A320 MECHANIC DESCRIBES THE EVENTS THAT LED TO THE ACFT'S EMERGENCY RAT MOTOR BLADES BEING DAMAGED DURING INITIAL SPIN UP BY A BLANKET BEING SUCKED INTO THE BLADES.

Narrative: I WAS ASSIGNED A MAINT SVC AND THE RAT CHK WITH ANOTHER MECH. WE FINISHED MOST OF THE SVC AND BEGAN TO SET UP FOR THE RAT CHK. I INSTALLED THE RAT CAGE AND UTILIZED A BLANKET FOR A PAD TO PREVENT ABRASION TO THE LOWER FUSELAGE. THE BLANKET WAS SECURED WITH UPWARD PRESSURE FROM THE RAT CAGE. THE INITIAL SPIN-UP SUCKED THE BLANKET AND MADE CONTACT WITH THE BLADE. I WENT TO INSPECT THE RAT AND FOUND THE EDGE/TIP CURLED. THE DAMAGE WAS IMMEDIATELY RPTED TO MY LEAD. THE KNOWN FACTOR ON THIS SHIFT IS THE CONTINUOUS FEELING OF FATIGUE WITH A GENERAL POOR LIGHTING CONDITION EVERYWHERE. THE LACK OF FORMAL TRAINING AND INFREQUENCY LED TO UNCERTAINTY. THE MISSING PAD ON THE RAT CAGE LED TO A COMPROMISE WITH THE BLANKET. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 776024: HE THEN JACKED THE CAGE UP AND PINNED THE BLANKET AGAINST THE FUSELAGE WITH JUST AN INCH OR TWO INSIDE THE CAGE. SOMEHOW DURING RAT SPIN-UP; THE BLANKET WAS DRAWN INTO THE CAGE AND GOT CAUGHT IN RAT AND BENT A BLADE TIP. ALSO; I WAS NOT ACTUALLY INVOLVED IN THE SETUP. I JUST HAPPENED TO OBSERVE THE CAGE AFTER THE SETUP WAS COMPLETE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.