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Air carrier mechanic discovers missing seal on thrust reverser of widebody transport and refuses to sign off aircraft as being airworthy with thrust reverser deactivated and seal replaced with aluminum tape. Supervisor later signed off aircraft as fit for flight.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 136457 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199002 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : jfk |
| State Reference | NY |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : n90 |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Widebody, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng |
| Navigation In Use | Other |
| Flight Phase | ground : parked ground : preflight |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | other personnel other |
| Qualification | other other : other |
| ASRS Report | 136457 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | other personnel other |
| Qualification | other other : other |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical |
| Independent Detector | other other : unspecified |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
Widebody transport aircraft observed to be missing a seal approximately 4' long X 4' wide at upper side of the inboard thrust reverser translating cone. Purpose of seal in addition to WX preclusion and aerodynamic failing is to retain fire suppressing agent in event of fire condition detected from outside steps of jetway, or from aircraft cabin windows. Mechanics were directed by management from main overhaul base to deactivate thrust reverser and apply aluminum tape to gap created by missing seal. Mechanics refused to sign for aircraft due to unanimous feeling that aircraft was unairworthy due to unknown condition of fire protection on #1 engine. Condition approved for flight by local supervision.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ACR MECHANIC DISCOVERS MISSING SEAL ON THRUST REVERSER OF WDB AND REFUSES TO SIGN OFF ACFT AS BEING AIRWORTHY WITH THRUST REVERSER DEACTIVATED AND SEAL REPLACED WITH ALUMINUM TAPE. SUPVR LATER SIGNED OFF ACFT AS FIT FOR FLT.
Narrative: WDB ACFT OBSERVED TO BE MISSING A SEAL APPROX 4' LONG X 4' WIDE AT UPPER SIDE OF THE INBOARD THRUST REVERSER TRANSLATING CONE. PURPOSE OF SEAL IN ADDITION TO WX PRECLUSION AND AERODYNAMIC FAILING IS TO RETAIN FIRE SUPPRESSING AGENT IN EVENT OF FIRE CONDITION DETECTED FROM OUTSIDE STEPS OF JETWAY, OR FROM ACFT CABIN WINDOWS. MECHS WERE DIRECTED BY MGMNT FROM MAIN OVERHAUL BASE TO DEACTIVATE THRUST REVERSER AND APPLY ALUMINUM TAPE TO GAP CREATED BY MISSING SEAL. MECHS REFUSED TO SIGN FOR ACFT DUE TO UNANIMOUS FEELING THAT ACFT WAS UNAIRWORTHY DUE TO UNKNOWN CONDITION OF FIRE PROTECTION ON #1 ENG. CONDITION APPROVED FOR FLT BY LCL SUPERVISION.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 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.