Air carrier mechanic allowed an air carrier medium large transport to continue in service with the w...

Attributes
ACN	171419
Time
Date	199102
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lga
State Reference	NY
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zoa
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	ground : parked ground : preflight
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
ASRS Report	171419
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Airport
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I was assigned to work on aircraft to replace fuel shutoff lever spring. Upon removing the cover as per MM 76-12, I found that the spring on the aircraft was thicker then the 1 provided. I went to double-check the manufacturers # on the item and found 2 different #south. The readout on one # showed not a stock item, and the other matched the # of the springs sent with replacement unit. The fact that the aircraft has been flying a couple of days with the same problem, I did not anticipate the seriousness of this matter. Therefore, I indicated the difference in sizes of the spring on maintenance carry-over to all stations to install equal spring size as soon as possible. Reported fuel leak and fuel smell in cabin. I inspected APU area with the APU running and found no leak. Shut the APU down and removed burner can and did not find any evidence of fuel leak. Replaced colester bag for precaution and ran APU for 20 mins. Did not smell fuel. Returned aircraft to service.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MECHANIC ALLOWED AN ACR MLG TO CONTINUE IN SERVICE WITH THE WRONG FUEL SHUTOFF SPRING INSTALLED. FUEL ODOR HAD BEEN REPORTED IN THE CABIN AREA THAT WAS THOUGHT TO BE FROM THE APU. MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM ON THE GND.

Narrative: I WAS ASSIGNED TO WORK ON ACFT TO REPLACE FUEL SHUTOFF LEVER SPRING. UPON REMOVING THE COVER AS PER MM 76-12, I FOUND THAT THE SPRING ON THE ACFT WAS THICKER THEN THE 1 PROVIDED. I WENT TO DOUBLE-CHK THE MANUFACTURERS # ON THE ITEM AND FOUND 2 DIFFERENT #S. THE READOUT ON ONE # SHOWED NOT A STOCK ITEM, AND THE OTHER MATCHED THE # OF THE SPRINGS SENT WITH REPLACEMENT UNIT. THE FACT THAT THE ACFT HAS BEEN FLYING A COUPLE OF DAYS WITH THE SAME PROB, I DID NOT ANTICIPATE THE SERIOUSNESS OF THIS MATTER. THEREFORE, I INDICATED THE DIFFERENCE IN SIZES OF THE SPRING ON MAINT CARRY-OVER TO ALL STATIONS TO INSTALL EQUAL SPRING SIZE ASAP. RPTED FUEL LEAK AND FUEL SMELL IN CABIN. I INSPECTED APU AREA WITH THE APU RUNNING AND FOUND NO LEAK. SHUT THE APU DOWN AND REMOVED BURNER CAN AND DID NOT FIND ANY EVIDENCE OF FUEL LEAK. REPLACED COLESTER BAG FOR PRECAUTION AND RAN APU FOR 20 MINS. DID NOT SMELL FUEL. RETURNED ACFT TO SVC.

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.

Air carrier mechanic allowed an air carrier medium large transport to continue in service with the wrong fuel shutoff spring installed. Fuel odor had been reported in the cabin area that was thought to be from the APU. Mechanic could not duplicate the problem on the ground.