Mechanics report that their maintenance station had a practice based on a proposed engineering varia...

Attributes
ACN	347484
Time
Date	199609
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
ASRS Report	347484
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
ASRS Report	346913
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

In the past 2 yrs, I have been involved in the repair of the B737 frame chord station at stringer 18A right side only. I performed this task approximately 3 or 4 times during this period in accordance with the instructions that were currently in the maintenance manual at the time of each repair. The first time I worked on this repair, 1 rivet was shaved off due to lack of access. Its approximately location is 5 fasteners up from stringer 20R, just behind the flap angle gearbox bracket. Our turn-over from the previous shift, was not to remove the fastener. I was informed that engineering was aware of the situation and an eva was on the way. To my knowledge, I do not know who actually shaved the rivet nor do I know who approved this procedure. On aug/thu/96, I performed another chord repair at station. I was consequently informed that the shaved rivet was not approved or accepted by boeing or our air carrier engineering. On the remaining repairs, the gearbox bracket was removed for access and the fastener was installed per the boeing drawing. I do not know of any other fasteners that were shaved or deleted on this repair. This variance was brought to the attention of the foreman and the appropriate personnel were notified of this condition.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MECHS RPT THAT THEIR MAINT STATION HAD A PRACTICE BASED ON A PROPOSED ENGINEERING VARIATION THAT ALLOWED SOME OF THE RIVETS IN THE VICINITY OF THE FLAP TORQUE TUBE BRACKET, FORWARD OF THE AFT BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT'S FORWARD BULKHEAD, TO BE REMOVED FOR EASE OF REPAIR. THIS IS NOT ALLOWED.

Narrative: IN THE PAST 2 YRS, I HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN THE REPAIR OF THE B737 FRAME CHORD STATION AT STRINGER 18A R SIDE ONLY. I PERFORMED THIS TASK APPROX 3 OR 4 TIMES DURING THIS PERIOD IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE INSTRUCTIONS THAT WERE CURRENTLY IN THE MAINT MANUAL AT THE TIME OF EACH REPAIR. THE FIRST TIME I WORKED ON THIS REPAIR, 1 RIVET WAS SHAVED OFF DUE TO LACK OF ACCESS. ITS APPROX LOCATION IS 5 FASTENERS UP FROM STRINGER 20R, JUST BEHIND THE FLAP ANGLE GEARBOX BRACKET. OUR TURN-OVER FROM THE PREVIOUS SHIFT, WAS NOT TO REMOVE THE FASTENER. I WAS INFORMED THAT ENGINEERING WAS AWARE OF THE SIT AND AN EVA WAS ON THE WAY. TO MY KNOWLEDGE, I DO NOT KNOW WHO ACTUALLY SHAVED THE RIVET NOR DO I KNOW WHO APPROVED THIS PROC. ON AUG/THU/96, I PERFORMED ANOTHER CHORD REPAIR AT STATION. I WAS CONSEQUENTLY INFORMED THAT THE SHAVED RIVET WAS NOT APPROVED OR ACCEPTED BY BOEING OR OUR ACR ENGINEERING. ON THE REMAINING REPAIRS, THE GEARBOX BRACKET WAS REMOVED FOR ACCESS AND THE FASTENER WAS INSTALLED PER THE BOEING DRAWING. I DO NOT KNOW OF ANY OTHER FASTENERS THAT WERE SHAVED OR DELETED ON THIS REPAIR. THIS VARIANCE WAS BROUGHT TO THE ATTN OF THE FOREMAN AND THE APPROPRIATE PERSONNEL WERE NOTIFIED OF THIS CONDITION.

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.

Mechanics report that their maintenance station had a practice based on a proposed engineering variation that allowed some of the rivets in the vicinity of the flap torque tube bracket, forward of the aft baggage compartment's forward bulkhead, to be removed for ease of repair. This is not allowed.