Narrative:

I was assigned with another technician to complete the job card XXXX along with a couple of tii re-inspection items. The workload on this date was heavy and typical of the last month. To perform the job card; [we] would need to utilize a lift-stand and some specific tools from our tool room. This particular evening; the station had two other similar inspection cards and would need to utilize the same lift-stand and specific equipment. To complicate and add time constraints; one of the other lift-stands was in automotive being repaired and the one remaining one actually had an out-of-service tag on it that would hamper operations. Automotive was called out and performed an ad hoc operations check on this remaining lift-stand and put it back in operation. Later; while performing our task the stand was acting up and emitting a warning 'beep' and eventually shut itself down. This caused more time restraints. The technician and I were the last to get use of the stand to perform our work. We started our task 3/4 into our shift.after we got our lift-stand into place; we removed the access panels to perform the task. The other technician volunteered to do the more complicated task of lubing the jackscrew while I would be left with performing the stabilizer motor gearbox lubrication. My task would entail dawning a harness and working at heights to remove the 'doghouse' access and removing a safetied filler cap. I was working on a steep incline and had an extra tie-off cable installed right in that area restricting movement. I had difficulty removing several over-torqued screw to remove the dome shaped panel.after removing the access panel and moving out of the way; I started to remove the safety wire from the plug. The restricted area kept me from removing the safety wire in one piece; leaving a small 'figure 8' piece of wire stuck in the cap. After trying several tools to try to remove the stuck wire; I decided to try to get a bite on the plug with my ratchet to remove it with the stuck wire still wrapped through the safety holes.at this point; the technician asked if we need to bring the stabilizer to level. He didn't realize I was having difficulty with the safety wire. I figured he knew out of experience that it would be easier at 'wing leveled'. I try to remove my socket from the plug and found it to be stuck; so I tucked the tool out of the way close to the motor where it couldn't get in the way. I hopped up on the top of the vertical stabilizer and told [the technician] he could have the crew chief could actuate the horizontal stabilizer to level from the cockpit [with] communication by two-way radio. As the stabilizer was coming up; I heard or felt something binding and looked down to see that my ratchet had falling down and was wedged up against the framework of the top cap opening and the aluminum l shaped edge was starting to bend. I yelled out to stop and stabilizer stopped moving pretty quickly. The damage at this point looked relatively superficial and could be easily repaired. We had the crew chief move it in the other direction just a small amount and I removed my ratchet.I didn't see any mesh of parts and the stabilizer looked as though it could be continued to be moved. We asked the crew chief to move the horizontal stabilizer back to neutral where I could continue the job card. I only took a second in movement and the upper side fairing attach point ripped the side close-out panel just under the l-shaped edge lip that was originally bent.no other movement was performed and I called the crew chief and supervisor to report the damage.my ratchet; though stuck and appearing out of the way; dropped down into an area that I didn't initially think was going to have moving aircraft parts caused structural damage to the top cap area of the vertical stabilizer. Inadequate experience and pressure from time constraints caused me to second-guess the decision to just leave the stabilizer where it was and continue to try to remove the safety wire that was stuck in the filler cap.don't second guess leaving FOD such as tools in the work area regardless of whether it looks as though it will not come in contact with moving aircraft parts.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: An Aircraft Maintenance crew reported that movement of the horizontal stabilizer caused a fallen ratchet to be wedged and damage a stabilizer panel.

Narrative: I was assigned with another technician to complete the job card XXXX along with a couple of TII re-inspection items. The workload on this date was heavy and typical of the last month. To perform the job card; [we] would need to utilize a lift-stand and some specific tools from our tool room. This particular evening; the station had two other similar inspection cards and would need to utilize the same lift-stand and specific equipment. To complicate and add time constraints; one of the other lift-stands was in automotive being repaired and the one remaining one actually had an out-of-service tag on it that would hamper operations. Automotive was called out and performed an ad hoc operations check on this remaining lift-stand and put it back in operation. Later; while performing our task the stand was acting up and emitting a warning 'beep' and eventually shut itself down. This caused more time restraints. The technician and I were the last to get use of the stand to perform our work. We started our task 3/4 into our shift.After we got our lift-stand into place; we removed the access panels to perform the task. The other technician volunteered to do the more complicated task of lubing the jackscrew while I would be left with performing the stabilizer motor gearbox lubrication. My task would entail dawning a harness and working at heights to remove the 'Doghouse' access and removing a safetied filler cap. I was working on a steep incline and had an extra tie-off cable installed right in that area restricting movement. I had difficulty removing several over-torqued screw to remove the dome shaped panel.After removing the access panel and moving out of the way; I started to remove the safety wire from the plug. The restricted area kept me from removing the safety wire in one piece; leaving a small 'figure 8' piece of wire stuck in the cap. After trying several tools to try to remove the stuck wire; I decided to try to get a bite on the plug with my ratchet to remove it with the stuck wire still wrapped through the safety holes.At this point; the technician asked if we need to bring the stabilizer to level. He didn't realize I was having difficulty with the safety wire. I figured he knew out of experience that it would be easier at 'wing leveled'. I try to remove my socket from the plug and found it to be stuck; so I tucked the tool out of the way close to the motor where it couldn't get in the way. I hopped up on the top of the vertical stabilizer and told [the technician] he could have the crew chief could actuate the horizontal stabilizer to level from the cockpit [with] communication by two-way radio. As the stabilizer was coming up; I heard or felt something binding and looked down to see that my ratchet had falling down and was wedged up against the framework of the top cap opening and the aluminum l shaped edge was starting to bend. I yelled out to stop and stabilizer stopped moving pretty quickly. The damage at this point looked relatively superficial and could be easily repaired. We had the crew chief move it in the other direction just a small amount and I removed my ratchet.I didn't see any mesh of parts and the stabilizer looked as though it could be continued to be moved. We asked the crew chief to move the horizontal stabilizer back to neutral where I could continue the job card. I only took a second in movement and the upper side fairing attach point ripped the side close-out panel just under the L-shaped edge lip that was originally bent.No other movement was performed and I called the crew chief and supervisor to report the damage.My ratchet; though stuck and appearing out of the way; dropped down into an area that I didn't initially think was going to have moving aircraft parts caused structural damage to the top cap area of the vertical stabilizer. Inadequate experience and pressure from time constraints caused me to second-guess the decision to just leave the stabilizer where it was and continue to try to remove the safety wire that was stuck in the filler cap.Don't second guess leaving FOD such as tools in the work area regardless of whether it looks as though it will not come in contact with moving aircraft parts.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.