A B727-200 on takeoff experienced the loss of a upper surface closure panel on the left horizontal s...

Attributes
ACN	375049
Time
Date	199707
Day	Thu
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	B727-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel other
ASRS Report	375049
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 : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Received phone call requesting large lift truck and maintenance personnel to remove and replace left elevator position sensor and null, per maintenance manual, on abc air carrier B727-200. Myself and another XXX mechanic went to abc air carrier's office to receive instructions and to pull maintenance manual reference for remove/replace above sensor. While performing above, top elevator panel was removed and to my knowledge was replaced. After removing and replacing sensor, we still needed to null same. We came back to XXX office to get test equipment for nulling of sensor, it was shift change and my partner did not wish to stay for over-time. I returned to aircraft and nulled sensor, closed lower panel, returned to abc air carrier's office. I signed item off and returned to XXX office. The next morning aircraft was on the takeoff roll and the left upper elevator panel blew off and was reported by another aircraft. The abc air carrier B727 flew to ZZZ and was checked and found panel missing. Aircraft was inspected and was ferried back to YYY, where panel was replaced. To the best of my knowledge panel was installed and secured.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B727-200 ON TKOF EXPERIENCED THE LOSS OF A UPPER SURFACE CLOSURE PANEL ON THE L HORIZ STABILIZER DUE TO NOT BEING PROPERLY SECURED AFTER MAINT.

Narrative: RECEIVED PHONE CALL REQUESTING LARGE LIFT TRUCK AND MAINT PERSONNEL TO REMOVE AND REPLACE L ELEVATOR POS SENSOR AND NULL, PER MAINT MANUAL, ON ABC ACR B727-200. MYSELF AND ANOTHER XXX MECH WENT TO ABC ACR'S OFFICE TO RECEIVE INSTRUCTIONS AND TO PULL MAINT MANUAL REF FOR REMOVE/REPLACE ABOVE SENSOR. WHILE PERFORMING ABOVE, TOP ELEVATOR PANEL WAS REMOVED AND TO MY KNOWLEDGE WAS REPLACED. AFTER REMOVING AND REPLACING SENSOR, WE STILL NEEDED TO NULL SAME. WE CAME BACK TO XXX OFFICE TO GET TEST EQUIP FOR NULLING OF SENSOR, IT WAS SHIFT CHANGE AND MY PARTNER DID NOT WISH TO STAY FOR OVER-TIME. I RETURNED TO ACFT AND NULLED SENSOR, CLOSED LOWER PANEL, RETURNED TO ABC ACR'S OFFICE. I SIGNED ITEM OFF AND RETURNED TO XXX OFFICE. THE NEXT MORNING ACFT WAS ON THE TKOF ROLL AND THE L UPPER ELEVATOR PANEL BLEW OFF AND WAS RPTED BY ANOTHER ACFT. THE ABC ACR B727 FLEW TO ZZZ AND WAS CHKED AND FOUND PANEL MISSING. ACFT WAS INSPECTED AND WAS FERRIED BACK TO YYY, WHERE PANEL WAS REPLACED. TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE PANEL WAS INSTALLED AND SECURED.

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.

A B727-200 on takeoff experienced the loss of a upper surface closure panel on the left horizontal stabilizer due to not being properly secured after maintenance.