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A maintenance controller reported on a rubber cover not installed over the external power receptacle pins on a B737-700 aircraft; as required for an MEL deferral of the external power receptacle. Ground power was re-connected at a downline station and additional arcing and aircraft damage occurred requiring multiple computer replacements.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 928798 |
| Time | |
| Date | 201101 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201-1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | ZZZ.Airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Environment | |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Make Model Name | B737-700 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | Parked |
| Component | |
| Aircraft Component | Electrical Power |
| Person 1 | |
| Function | Other / Unknown |
| Qualification | Maintenance Powerplant Maintenance Airframe |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical Deviation - Procedural MEL Deviation - Procedural Published Material / Policy Deviation - Procedural Maintenance |
Narrative:
Flight arrived and external power cord plugged in and [electrical] power applied. A large arc was detected and the power was dropped from the aircraft; damaging the flight recorder and ground proximity system. Contract maintenance inspected the [external power] receptacle and determined that there was no damage other than the soot. The system was deferred per MEL. The problem is that the plug; as listed in the MEL; is not stocked or maintained; tape was applied instead and an inoperative (inoperative) placard installed. The next station removed the tape and applied [electrical] ground power. Additional arcing and damage was reported. Again; maintenance inspected the aircraft and reapplied tape to discourage the use of ground power.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A Maintenance Controller reported on a rubber cover not installed over the external power receptacle pins on a B737-700 aircraft; as required for an MEL deferral of the external power receptacle. Ground power was re-connected at a downline station and additional arcing and aircraft damage occurred requiring multiple computer replacements.
Narrative: Flight arrived and external power cord plugged in and [electrical] power applied. A large arc was detected and the power was dropped from the aircraft; damaging the Flight Recorder and Ground Proximity System. Contract Maintenance inspected the [external power] receptacle and determined that there was no damage other than the soot. The system was deferred per MEL. The problem is that the plug; as listed in the MEL; is not stocked or maintained; tape was applied instead and an INOP (inoperative) placard installed. The next station removed the tape and applied [electrical] ground power. Additional arcing and damage was reported. Again; Maintenance inspected the aircraft and reapplied tape to discourage the use of ground power.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.