Aircraft equipment problem. An air carrier mechanic described an out-of-limits flap seal. Situation ...

Attributes
ACN	308679
Time
Date	199506
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : den
State Reference	CO
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : pit
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	ground : preflight ground : parked other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
ASRS Report	308679
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

A mechanic in denver called and asked if he can defer seals for the moveable flap track fairings because they are worn beyond limits and didn't have parts available in denver to replace them. He assured me the seals looked ok and were in place, just worn. I gave him the clearance to defer the seals until the parts are available to replace them. Per the mechanic's description, I felt this was not a flight worthy item nor did it impair the aerodynamics of the wing. The item was entered as the flap track moveable fairing worn beyond limits per the maintenance manual 57-55-11. This was a misunderstanding between the mechanic and me. I did not intentionally give clearance to defer the flap track fairing, my intention was only to defer the worn seals. My error was not personally checking the maintenance manual limits per the reference that was given to me. I trusted the mechanic to be accurate. I also missed the fact that the reference was incorrect when I reviewed the item. The contributing factors to this error were the fact that parts were not available, and departure time was near. Corrective action has been taken. The fairings have been adjusted per airbus maintenance manual in san francisco.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT EQUIP PROB. AN ACR MECH DESCRIBED AN OUT-OF-LIMITS FLAP SEAL. SIT TO A MAINT CTLR WHO THEN GAVE THE MECH PERMISSION TO DEFER THE SEAL. THE MECH INCORRECTLY ENTERED THE ITEM AS A FAIRING OUT-OF-LIMITS WHICH IS NOT DEFERRABLE.

Narrative: A MECH IN DENVER CALLED AND ASKED IF HE CAN DEFER SEALS FOR THE MOVEABLE FLAP TRACK FAIRINGS BECAUSE THEY ARE WORN BEYOND LIMITS AND DIDN'T HAVE PARTS AVAILABLE IN DENVER TO REPLACE THEM. HE ASSURED ME THE SEALS LOOKED OK AND WERE IN PLACE, JUST WORN. I GAVE HIM THE CLRNC TO DEFER THE SEALS UNTIL THE PARTS ARE AVAILABLE TO REPLACE THEM. PER THE MECH'S DESCRIPTION, I FELT THIS WAS NOT A FLT WORTHY ITEM NOR DID IT IMPAIR THE AERODYNAMICS OF THE WING. THE ITEM WAS ENTERED AS THE FLAP TRACK MOVEABLE FAIRING WORN BEYOND LIMITS PER THE MAINT MANUAL 57-55-11. THIS WAS A MISUNDERSTANDING BTWN THE MECH AND ME. I DID NOT INTENTIONALLY GIVE CLRNC TO DEFER THE FLAP TRACK FAIRING, MY INTENTION WAS ONLY TO DEFER THE WORN SEALS. MY ERROR WAS NOT PERSONALLY CHKING THE MAINT MANUAL LIMITS PER THE REF THAT WAS GIVEN TO ME. I TRUSTED THE MECH TO BE ACCURATE. I ALSO MISSED THE FACT THAT THE REF WAS INCORRECT WHEN I REVIEWED THE ITEM. THE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO THIS ERROR WERE THE FACT THAT PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE, AND DEP TIME WAS NEAR. CORRECTIVE ACTION HAS BEEN TAKEN. THE FAIRINGS HAVE BEEN ADJUSTED PER AIRBUS MAINT MANUAL IN SAN FRANCISCO.

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.

Aircraft equipment problem. An air carrier mechanic described an out-of-limits flap seal. Situation to a maintenance controller who then gave the mechanic permission to defer the seal. The mechanic incorrectly entered the item as a fairing out-of-limits which is not deferrable.