A line aircraft maintenance technician (amt) reports how the aft side of #3 slat on a B737-300 aircr...

Narrative:

I was in the process of remove and replace (right/right) #3 slat rod end switch. I just had removed the #3 slat rod end switch mounting bolt and I needed to disconnect the cannon plug off the rod end switch; but there is not enough room in the compartment to put my hands in and disconnect it; so I asked ZZZ aircraft maintenance technician (amt) to go up to the cockpit to retract the leading edge devices (slats). Once I thought that the #3 slat actuator was retracted enough so I could disconnect the cannon plug; I told him to 'turn off' hydraulics; he did and I was able to disconnect the cannon plug without a problem. But then I realized that the actuator was not retracted enough so I could removed the slat rod end switch; so I asked him again to retract the leading edge a bit more and as soon as he turned hydraulics 'on'; the actuator jerked forward; damaging the back section of the #3 slat. I immediately told him to turned hydraulics 'off'. That's how it happened. We reported the accident immediately to our supervisor on duty.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A Line Aircraft Maintenance Technician (AMT) reports how the aft side of #3 Slat on a B737-300 aircraft had been damaged by the slat actuator during removal of the slat rod end switch.

Narrative: I was in the process of Remove and Replace (R/R) #3 Slat rod end switch. I just had removed the #3 Slat rod end switch mounting bolt and I needed to disconnect the Cannon plug off the rod end switch; but there is not enough room in the compartment to put my hands in and disconnect it; so I asked ZZZ Aircraft Maintenance Technician (AMT) to go up to the cockpit to retract the Leading Edge Devices (Slats). Once I thought that the #3 Slat actuator was retracted enough so I could disconnect the Cannon plug; I told him to 'turn off' hydraulics; he did and I was able to disconnect the Cannon plug without a problem. But then I realized that the actuator was not retracted enough so I could removed the slat rod end switch; so I asked him again to retract the Leading Edge a bit more and as soon as he turned Hydraulics 'On'; the actuator jerked forward; damaging the back section of the #3 Slat. I immediately told him to turned hydraulics 'Off'. That's how it happened. We reported the accident immediately to our Supervisor on Duty.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2013 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.

Attributes
ACN	1026363
Time
Date	201207
Local Time Of Day	0001-0600
Place
Locale Reference	ZZZ.Airport
State Reference	US
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	Parked
Component
Aircraft Component	Leading Edge Slat
Person 1
Function	Technician
Qualification	Maintenance Airframe Maintenance Powerplant
Events
Anomaly	Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical Deviation - Procedural Published Material / Policy

A line aircraft maintenance technician (amt) reports how the aft side of #3 slat on a B737-300 aircraft had been damaged by the slat actuator during removal of the slat rod end switch.