Narrative:

I went on a maintenance road trip to ZZZ for what was thought to be an external fuel leak from the right wing main fuel tank of aircraft YYY. The problem was actually a fault with the vent system float valves. To access these valves, wing access panel 623AB was opened and the r-hand vent float valve (inboard) and the r-hand vent-drain float valve were replaced. All work was accomplished in accordance with the maintenance manual. After completion of work, area was visually checked for foreign matter by myself and the other technician involved. The access panel was then reinstalled, wing fueled and leak checked with no discrepancies noted. I was unaware that closing this panel might be a required inspection item. After returning to maintenance base at xyz was when this question arose. Aircraft was back in service with no problems. Air carrier maintenance policies and practices manual is vague in its description of physical entry and of extensive repairs. Not once during the job did technician support indicate that inspection would be required. To correct these sits, technician support should inform technician if inspection is required, or a required inspection item tag on parts that are installed in a required inspection item system or area could be used so that the technician is aware that inspection should be involved. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated that the procedure for replacing the vent valve did not require any inspection and the procedure covered closing the tank access plate. The reporter said the maintenance policy and procedures manual regarding the tank plates is vague and does not clearly express when inspection is required.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A FOKKER 100 HAD THE R WING VENT TANK REPLACED PER THE MAINT MANUAL BUT A QUESTION AROSE ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THE TANK ACCESS PLATES REQUIRED INSPECTION.

Narrative: I WENT ON A MAINT ROAD TRIP TO ZZZ FOR WHAT WAS THOUGHT TO BE AN EXTERNAL FUEL LEAK FROM THE R WING MAIN FUEL TANK OF ACFT YYY. THE PROB WAS ACTUALLY A FAULT WITH THE VENT SYS FLOAT VALVES. TO ACCESS THESE VALVES, WING ACCESS PANEL 623AB WAS OPENED AND THE R-HAND VENT FLOAT VALVE (INBOARD) AND THE R-HAND VENT-DRAIN FLOAT VALVE WERE REPLACED. ALL WORK WAS ACCOMPLISHED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE MAINT MANUAL. AFTER COMPLETION OF WORK, AREA WAS VISUALLY CHKED FOR FOREIGN MATTER BY MYSELF AND THE OTHER TECHNICIAN INVOLVED. THE ACCESS PANEL WAS THEN REINSTALLED, WING FUELED AND LEAK CHKED WITH NO DISCREPANCIES NOTED. I WAS UNAWARE THAT CLOSING THIS PANEL MIGHT BE A REQUIRED INSPECTION ITEM. AFTER RETURNING TO MAINT BASE AT XYZ WAS WHEN THIS QUESTION AROSE. ACFT WAS BACK IN SVC WITH NO PROBS. ACR MAINT POLICIES AND PRACTICES MANUAL IS VAGUE IN ITS DESCRIPTION OF PHYSICAL ENTRY AND OF EXTENSIVE REPAIRS. NOT ONCE DURING THE JOB DID TECHNICIAN SUPPORT INDICATE THAT INSPECTION WOULD BE REQUIRED. TO CORRECT THESE SITS, TECHNICIAN SUPPORT SHOULD INFORM TECHNICIAN IF INSPECTION IS REQUIRED, OR A REQUIRED INSPECTION ITEM TAG ON PARTS THAT ARE INSTALLED IN A REQUIRED INSPECTION ITEM SYS OR AREA COULD BE USED SO THAT THE TECHNICIAN IS AWARE THAT INSPECTION SHOULD BE INVOLVED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THAT THE PROC FOR REPLACING THE VENT VALVE DID NOT REQUIRE ANY INSPECTION AND THE PROC COVERED CLOSING THE TANK ACCESS PLATE. THE RPTR SAID THE MAINT POLICY AND PROCS MANUAL REGARDING THE TANK PLATES IS VAGUE AND DOES NOT CLRLY EXPRESS WHEN INSPECTION IS REQUIRED.

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.