A B737-200 incurred severe damage to the #1 thrust reverser due to improper removal procedures.

Attributes
ACN	371160
Time
Date	199705
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	B737-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
ASRS Report	371160
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	other Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

On may/xx/97, I was assigned to aircraft xyz (B737-200) to remove #1 engine for another aircraft. We removed and disconnected all lines, ducts per the job card. Myself and another mechanic started removing the bottom bolts on the nose cowl and another mechanic started removing the aft bolts for the thrust reverser. I pointed out to the mechanic the right location of the bolts. That mechanic removed all the bolts and nuts without supporting the thrust reverser causing it to fall to the ground. The thrust reverser was severely damaged and taken OTS. This problem was probably caused due to the mechanic not knowing how to remove the thrust reverser and not asking for help or instruction.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-200 INCURRED SEVERE DAMAGE TO THE #1 THRUST REVERSER DUE TO IMPROPER REMOVAL PROCS.

Narrative: ON MAY/XX/97, I WAS ASSIGNED TO ACFT XYZ (B737-200) TO REMOVE #1 ENG FOR ANOTHER ACFT. WE REMOVED AND DISCONNECTED ALL LINES, DUCTS PER THE JOB CARD. MYSELF AND ANOTHER MECH STARTED REMOVING THE BOTTOM BOLTS ON THE NOSE COWL AND ANOTHER MECH STARTED REMOVING THE AFT BOLTS FOR THE THRUST REVERSER. I POINTED OUT TO THE MECH THE RIGHT LOCATION OF THE BOLTS. THAT MECH REMOVED ALL THE BOLTS AND NUTS WITHOUT SUPPORTING THE THRUST REVERSER CAUSING IT TO FALL TO THE GND. THE THRUST REVERSER WAS SEVERELY DAMAGED AND TAKEN OTS. THIS PROB WAS PROBABLY CAUSED DUE TO THE MECH NOT KNOWING HOW TO REMOVE THE THRUST REVERSER AND NOT ASKING FOR HELP OR INSTRUCTION.

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.