A B737-200 after an overnight check was accomplished it was spot checked later by the local FAA air ...

Attributes
ACN	388105
Time
Date	199711
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Light	Night
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	388105
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I performed an 'overnight check' on air carrier aircraft, a B737-200 at ZZZ airport. The check was performed by another air carrier mechanic and myself. After completing the overnight check as per air carrier job card, I made a logbook entry stating that an overnight check had been accomplished. I then went home at approximately XA30 -- after working 16 hours continuous. Geographic inspectors from the ZZZ FSDO conducted a spot inspection on the said aircraft and rptedly found a cowl latch on the inboard side of the #1 engine 'loose and hanging down approximately 1/2 inch.' they reported this to the lead mechanic on duty and he inspected the latch, found it to be airworthy and secure and programmed the latch to be repaired or replaced as required at the next maintenance routine overnight layover. The latch was subsequently replaced on nov/xa/97. I did not notice anything out of the ordinary on the #1 engine during my walkaround inspection that would have affected the airworthiness or the safety of the aircraft and the lead mechanic who subsequently programmed the latch for repair also found its condition to be safe, secure and airworthy. I do not think this situation affected the airworthiness of the aircraft or the safety of its passenger. The cause of this incident is unknown, but there are many factors that I think may have caused its occurrence such as: 1) weather -- snowing all day. 2) ramp conditions -- slush, snow, ice, and de-icing fluid on ramp. 3) lighting -- inspection was performed at night.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-200 AFTER AN OVERNIGHT CHK WAS ACCOMPLISHED IT WAS SPOT CHKED LATER BY THE LCL FAA ACR INSPECTORS AND FOUND TO HAVE A #1 ENG COWLING LATCH WORN BUT NOT DISCONNECTED.

Narrative: I PERFORMED AN 'OVERNIGHT CHK' ON ACR ACFT, A B737-200 AT ZZZ ARPT. THE CHK WAS PERFORMED BY ANOTHER ACR MECH AND MYSELF. AFTER COMPLETING THE OVERNIGHT CHK AS PER ACR JOB CARD, I MADE A LOGBOOK ENTRY STATING THAT AN OVERNIGHT CHK HAD BEEN ACCOMPLISHED. I THEN WENT HOME AT APPROX XA30 -- AFTER WORKING 16 HRS CONTINUOUS. GEOGRAPHIC INSPECTORS FROM THE ZZZ FSDO CONDUCTED A SPOT INSPECTION ON THE SAID ACFT AND RPTEDLY FOUND A COWL LATCH ON THE INBOARD SIDE OF THE #1 ENG 'LOOSE AND HANGING DOWN APPROX 1/2 INCH.' THEY RPTED THIS TO THE LEAD MECH ON DUTY AND HE INSPECTED THE LATCH, FOUND IT TO BE AIRWORTHY AND SECURE AND PROGRAMMED THE LATCH TO BE REPAIRED OR REPLACED AS REQUIRED AT THE NEXT MAINT ROUTINE OVERNIGHT LAYOVER. THE LATCH WAS SUBSEQUENTLY REPLACED ON NOV/XA/97. I DID NOT NOTICE ANYTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY ON THE #1 ENG DURING MY WALKAROUND INSPECTION THAT WOULD HAVE AFFECTED THE AIRWORTHINESS OR THE SAFETY OF THE ACFT AND THE LEAD MECH WHO SUBSEQUENTLY PROGRAMMED THE LATCH FOR REPAIR ALSO FOUND ITS CONDITION TO BE SAFE, SECURE AND AIRWORTHY. I DO NOT THINK THIS SIT AFFECTED THE AIRWORTHINESS OF THE ACFT OR THE SAFETY OF ITS PAX. THE CAUSE OF THIS INCIDENT IS UNKNOWN, BUT THERE ARE MANY FACTORS THAT I THINK MAY HAVE CAUSED ITS OCCURRENCE SUCH AS: 1) WEATHER -- SNOWING ALL DAY. 2) RAMP CONDITIONS -- SLUSH, SNOW, ICE, AND DE-ICING FLUID ON RAMP. 3) LIGHTING -- INSPECTION WAS PERFORMED AT NIGHT.

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 B737-200 after an overnight check was accomplished it was spot checked later by the local FAA air carrier inspectors and found to have a #1 engine cowling latch worn but not disconnected.