Narrative:

I was tasked to replace the c-sump #6 and #7 carbon seals and oil jets on left engine. There were many changes of plans during my work to say my task was very fluid. I was approached several times by management and engineering department during the removal process which I had to stop to remove lines that they wanted checked for blockage; which slowed my process down. At the end of all these delays; I was told that at stated time I needed to have job done and run operations check or they were going to change engine. That gave me a 3 hour window to finish that job. I felt it was a tall order; but I believed I could get it done. I was standing on a stand that can be raised or lowered using a foot pump. I needed to get a little higher to see in around the #6 bearing housing for removal; so I began to pump up the stand. I was watching the trans cowl as I raised the stand and there looked like there was 2 inches of space between platform and cowl. At that point the pump began to get hard to pump; so I assumed that it was at its full extension. Well; later; when I got off stand; I noticed that the 2 safety RAIL pins; which I could not see while raising standing; had made contact with cowl; I notified supervisor and crew chief of event; had sheet metal look up limits of damage; which it fell out of return to service limits and needed to be changed. It was replaced with serviceable cowl. Job was completed on time with no delay due to this event. To avoid this in the future; I will slow down a bit and try not to allow myself to feel so much pressure.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MECHANIC REALIZES HE HAD DAMAGED A LEFT ENG COWL ON A CRJ-200 WHEN RAISING THE WORK PLATFORM WITH A FOOT PUMP. ENG COWL REQUIRED REPLACEMENT.

Narrative: I WAS TASKED TO REPLACE THE C-SUMP #6 AND #7 CARBON SEALS AND OIL JETS ON L ENG. THERE WERE MANY CHANGES OF PLANS DURING MY WORK TO SAY MY TASK WAS VERY FLUID. I WAS APCHED SEVERAL TIMES BY MGMNT AND ENGINEERING DEPT DURING THE REMOVAL PROCESS WHICH I HAD TO STOP TO REMOVE LINES THAT THEY WANTED CHKED FOR BLOCKAGE; WHICH SLOWED MY PROCESS DOWN. AT THE END OF ALL THESE DELAYS; I WAS TOLD THAT AT STATED TIME I NEEDED TO HAVE JOB DONE AND RUN OPS CHK OR THEY WERE GOING TO CHANGE ENG. THAT GAVE ME A 3 HR WINDOW TO FINISH THAT JOB. I FELT IT WAS A TALL ORDER; BUT I BELIEVED I COULD GET IT DONE. I WAS STANDING ON A STAND THAT CAN BE RAISED OR LOWERED USING A FOOT PUMP. I NEEDED TO GET A LITTLE HIGHER TO SEE IN AROUND THE #6 BEARING HOUSING FOR REMOVAL; SO I BEGAN TO PUMP UP THE STAND. I WAS WATCHING THE TRANS COWL AS I RAISED THE STAND AND THERE LOOKED LIKE THERE WAS 2 INCHES OF SPACE BTWN PLATFORM AND COWL. AT THAT POINT THE PUMP BEGAN TO GET HARD TO PUMP; SO I ASSUMED THAT IT WAS AT ITS FULL EXTENSION. WELL; LATER; WHEN I GOT OFF STAND; I NOTICED THAT THE 2 SAFETY RAIL PINS; WHICH I COULD NOT SEE WHILE RAISING STANDING; HAD MADE CONTACT WITH COWL; I NOTIFIED SUPVR AND CREW CHIEF OF EVENT; HAD SHEET METAL LOOK UP LIMITS OF DAMAGE; WHICH IT FELL OUT OF RETURN TO SVC LIMITS AND NEEDED TO BE CHANGED. IT WAS REPLACED WITH SERVICEABLE COWL. JOB WAS COMPLETED ON TIME WITH NO DELAY DUE TO THIS EVENT. TO AVOID THIS IN THE FUTURE; I WILL SLOW DOWN A BIT AND TRY NOT TO ALLOW MYSELF TO FEEL SO MUCH PRESSURE.

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.