A DC9-32F was returned to service with control cables chafing and misaligned.

Attributes
ACN	366440
Time
Date	199704
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 30
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	observation : air carrier inspector other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
ASRS Report	366440
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Aircraft was undergoing check phase #4 at a maintenance facility. I was asked to perform an inspection prior to closing the ceiling panels in the forward lower cargo compartment. At that time I documented that cable runs #24 and #57 were chafing against each other and that cable run #3 had a bent terminal end. Cable runs #24 and #57 were contacting each other so much that as the turnbuckles passed each other they physically displaced themselves. It is my belief that this aircraft was returned to service with these conditions existing on or about apr/sat/97. I received disciplinary counseling from the company for not withdrawing the write-ups after a complaint about the write-ups was noted by my supervisor. The complaint was made by a representative of aircraft maintenance. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter was inspecting the cargo pit close up and found these cables chaffing. The cables were for an engine fuel shutoff and a rudder trim cable. The turnbuckles were displacing each other as they moved. Reporter believes that because several cables had been replaced it may be possible pulley brackets, guide pins or guides were displaced causing this cable contact. Reporter states this information was made available to the local FAA maintenance inspector, but no action was taken.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DC9-32F WAS RETURNED TO SVC WITH CTL CABLES CHAFING AND MISALIGNED.

Narrative: ACFT WAS UNDERGOING CHK PHASE #4 AT A MAINT FACILITY. I WAS ASKED TO PERFORM AN INSPECTION PRIOR TO CLOSING THE CEILING PANELS IN THE FORWARD LOWER CARGO COMPARTMENT. AT THAT TIME I DOCUMENTED THAT CABLE RUNS #24 AND #57 WERE CHAFING AGAINST EACH OTHER AND THAT CABLE RUN #3 HAD A BENT TERMINAL END. CABLE RUNS #24 AND #57 WERE CONTACTING EACH OTHER SO MUCH THAT AS THE TURNBUCKLES PASSED EACH OTHER THEY PHYSICALLY DISPLACED THEMSELVES. IT IS MY BELIEF THAT THIS ACFT WAS RETURNED TO SVC WITH THESE CONDITIONS EXISTING ON OR ABOUT APR/SAT/97. I RECEIVED DISCIPLINARY COUNSELING FROM THE COMPANY FOR NOT WITHDRAWING THE WRITE-UPS AFTER A COMPLAINT ABOUT THE WRITE-UPS WAS NOTED BY MY SUPVR. THE COMPLAINT WAS MADE BY A REPRESENTATIVE OF ACFT MAINT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR WAS INSPECTING THE CARGO PIT CLOSE UP AND FOUND THESE CABLES CHAFFING. THE CABLES WERE FOR AN ENG FUEL SHUTOFF AND A RUDDER TRIM CABLE. THE TURNBUCKLES WERE DISPLACING EACH OTHER AS THEY MOVED. RPTR BELIEVES THAT BECAUSE SEVERAL CABLES HAD BEEN REPLACED IT MAY BE POSSIBLE PULLEY BRACKETS, GUIDE PINS OR GUIDES WERE DISPLACED CAUSING THIS CABLE CONTACT. RPTR STATES THIS INFO WAS MADE AVAILABLE TO THE LCL FAA MAINT INSPECTOR, BUT NO ACTION WAS TAKEN.

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.