Narrative:

I was called into the foreman's office yesterday about a job I worked may/xa/08. He received a report from quality assurance stating that a lein mechanic said on may/xb/08 he was doing operations checks on the flaps of aircraft when he heard a ratcheting sound on #7 flap transmission. He said when he investigated further; he said he drained the oil from the transmission when he discovered the oil to be a rust color -- not the normal oil used. This is where I disagree! First; let me state that I have worked this job on more than 1 occasion and never had a complaint. Also; I followed the job card which says to fill with oil 4509-1 -- that is what I used. Also; that is the same oil the line mechanic put back in the transmission after he drained it. Also; #7 flap transmission is not the only transmission I svced. I svced 6 others with the same oil 4509-1 so why would I use a different oil on the #7 transmission when I had the correct oil on hand? Do mistakes happen? Sure they do; but it's highly unlikely that was the case in this situation. This statement is not to admit any guilt; but to let you know I followed all the proper procedures. I do not agree with the line mechanic. That's not to say there wasn't a problem with the #7 flap transmission; but the problem wasn't because of something I didn't do because; like I said earlier; I have done this job before and I know what type of oil goes in the xmissions and that oil is 4509-1.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MECHANIC DISAGREES WITH HIS CARRIER'S QUALITY ASSURANCE REPORT THAT A LINE MECHANIC HAD FOUND RUST COLORED OIL IN THE #7 FLAP TRANSMISSION; AFTER HE HAD SERVICED SIX OTHERS ON A B737-500 ACFT.

Narrative: I WAS CALLED INTO THE FOREMAN'S OFFICE YESTERDAY ABOUT A JOB I WORKED MAY/XA/08. HE RECEIVED A RPT FROM QUALITY ASSURANCE STATING THAT A LEIN MECH SAID ON MAY/XB/08 HE WAS DOING OPS CHKS ON THE FLAPS OF ACFT WHEN HE HEARD A RATCHETING SOUND ON #7 FLAP XMISSION. HE SAID WHEN HE INVESTIGATED FURTHER; HE SAID HE DRAINED THE OIL FROM THE XMISSION WHEN HE DISCOVERED THE OIL TO BE A RUST COLOR -- NOT THE NORMAL OIL USED. THIS IS WHERE I DISAGREE! FIRST; LET ME STATE THAT I HAVE WORKED THIS JOB ON MORE THAN 1 OCCASION AND NEVER HAD A COMPLAINT. ALSO; I FOLLOWED THE JOB CARD WHICH SAYS TO FILL WITH OIL 4509-1 -- THAT IS WHAT I USED. ALSO; THAT IS THE SAME OIL THE LINE MECH PUT BACK IN THE XMISSION AFTER HE DRAINED IT. ALSO; #7 FLAP XMISSION IS NOT THE ONLY XMISSION I SVCED. I SVCED 6 OTHERS WITH THE SAME OIL 4509-1 SO WHY WOULD I USE A DIFFERENT OIL ON THE #7 XMISSION WHEN I HAD THE CORRECT OIL ON HAND? DO MISTAKES HAPPEN? SURE THEY DO; BUT IT'S HIGHLY UNLIKELY THAT WAS THE CASE IN THIS SITUATION. THIS STATEMENT IS NOT TO ADMIT ANY GUILT; BUT TO LET YOU KNOW I FOLLOWED ALL THE PROPER PROCS. I DO NOT AGREE WITH THE LINE MECH. THAT'S NOT TO SAY THERE WASN'T A PROB WITH THE #7 FLAP XMISSION; BUT THE PROB WASN'T BECAUSE OF SOMETHING I DIDN'T DO BECAUSE; LIKE I SAID EARLIER; I HAVE DONE THIS JOB BEFORE AND I KNOW WHAT TYPE OF OIL GOES IN THE XMISSIONS AND THAT OIL IS 4509-1.

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.