Narrative:

Hardware left out of flap fairing; causing an air return. I was multitasking and missed the inboard screws. Aircraft was removed from service for repairs.this is a description of my day that lead up to aircraft X air return. Came into work clock in; got a paper to see what plane and work load was going to be happening that night. I was told after the meeting that I was assigned outside with heavy flaps and aileron backlash which these task on any other day are assigned by one person performing the backlash and another doing the outside. The plane arrived at the hangar and the line and routine check was started and signed off. The first thing that I started was the aileron backlash. [Another technician] and I preformed that backlash and completed that task. By this time I was wanting to get started on the heavy flaps because it can take time to get the panels off; and I knew as soon as I got done that I would be sent over to help another mechanic out due to him not preforming his assigned tasks in a timely manner. I started pulling the right hand flap fairings for inspection and lube. The fairing screws where over tightened and some striped so that requires you to drill them out which takes time. Got the fairings off and started to pull that aft because you remove them to get the flap panels loose for the inspector to check them. Process done on top of the other things that need to be done on the a-check and potable water sanitize forward and aft. A mechanic that was sent over said that he could only help for a bit because he had to take his aircraft to the gate so it could depart; he pulled wheel bins and done strut pressures for me; another mechanic was sent over and done the water sanitation. At this time the fairings are off and I go to get a grease gun to do the lubrication of the flaps and landing gear the grease guns where inop and needed to be put together. While the inspector was inspecting the flaps I started on other job cards that are assigned to the a- check the inspector came to me and said that he was done with his inspection. With the inspection being done I put the flap fairings on and get the other tasks done so we could make gate in a timely manner instead of getting to the gate late. I started putting the flap fairings on and got almost done and seen that other things needed to be done so I went and done those task and came back and finished the flap fairings. The flap fairings being done which would prove otherwise not to be done; I moved on to finish other things that where needing to be done still thinking in the back of my head that I was going to be sent over to help that certain mechanic out as everyone has done or seen happen. I can't really think of what else I need to say other than I need to slow down double check my work.I know that what I done cause people to misconnecting flights for work or family I take 100% of the responsibility for this. I think it was the possibility of being sent over to help someone that won't put forth any effort into his job me rushing myself to complete two jobs that normally has two people assigned to it who know all I know is that I was the one that left the screws out of the aft fairing I do put a lot of pressure on me to be a good work that everyone can depend on.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Aircraft Maintenance technicians reported failing to notice that the flap fairing was improperly reinstalled following maintenance. This resulted in an inflight vibration causing the aircraft to return to departure airport after takeoff.

Narrative: Hardware left out of flap fairing; causing an air return. I was multitasking and missed the inboard screws. Aircraft was removed from service for repairs.This is a description of my day that lead up to Aircraft X air return. Came into work clock in; got a paper to see what plane and work load was going to be happening that night. I was told after the meeting that I was assigned outside with heavy flaps and aileron backlash which these task on any other day are assigned by one person performing the backlash and another doing the outside. The plane arrived at the hangar and the line and routine check was started and signed off. The first thing that I started was the aileron backlash. [Another technician] and I preformed that backlash and completed that task. By this time I was wanting to get started on the heavy flaps because it can take time to get the panels off; and I knew as soon as I got done that I would be sent over to help another Mechanic out due to him not preforming his assigned tasks in a timely manner. I started pulling the right hand flap fairings for inspection and lube. The fairing screws where over tightened and some striped so that requires you to drill them out which takes time. Got the fairings off and started to pull that aft because you remove them to get the flap panels loose for the inspector to check them. Process done on top of the other things that need to be done on the A-Check and potable water sanitize forward and aft. A mechanic that was sent over said that he could only help for a bit because he had to take his aircraft to the gate so it could depart; he pulled wheel bins and done strut pressures for me; another mechanic was sent over and done the water sanitation. At this time the fairings are off and I go to get a grease gun to do the lubrication of the flaps and landing gear the grease guns where inop and needed to be put together. While the Inspector was inspecting the flaps I started on other job cards that are assigned to the A- Check the Inspector came to me and said that he was done with his inspection. With the inspection being done I put the flap fairings on and get the other tasks done so we could make gate in a timely manner instead of getting to the gate late. I started putting the flap fairings on and got almost done and seen that other things needed to be done so I went and done those task and came back and finished the flap fairings. The flap fairings being done which would prove otherwise not to be done; I moved on to finish other things that where needing to be done still thinking in the back of my head that I was going to be sent over to help that certain mechanic out as everyone has done or seen happen. I can't really think of what else I need to say other than I need to slow down double check my work.I know that what I done cause people to misconnecting flights for work or family I take 100% of the responsibility for this. I think it was the possibility of being sent over to help someone that won't put forth any effort into his job me rushing myself to complete two jobs that normally has two people assigned to it who know all I know is that I was the one that left the screws out of the aft fairing I do put a lot of pressure on me to be a good work that everyone can depend on.

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.