A dash 8 was returned to service with a damaged aileron rear spar.

Attributes
ACN	394512
Time
Date	199707
Day	Tue
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
Controlling Facilities	tower : iad
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Dash 8-100
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	394512
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel other oversight : supervisor
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

While changing a tab fitting on the rear spar of the aileron, I dented the rear spar while trying to get the old fitting off. At the time I thought the rear spar was thicker than it is and didn't consider it a problem that needed further attention. I recently found out the rear spar is only .025 inches thick. Having found this out, I told the base manager what had happened. He had a quality control inspector look at another aileron that was removed from another aircraft to see if the rear spar could be tested for cracks from an access hole. The inspector said that they could eddy current the spar for cracks. The base manager is going to find out through records which plane it was and have the aileron rear spar eddy-currented. Since this happened approximately 7-8 months ago, I don't know which aircraft it was or which aileron it was. How I found out about the spar thickness is that another sheet metal mechanic was changing a fitting in the same spot when he cracked the rear spar and ended up splicing in a new section of the rear spar. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the aircraft was idented and the aileron was inspected and only minor damage was noted. The reporter said the shop procedures were not changed but everyone who works ailerons is aware of the spar problem.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DASH 8 WAS RETURNED TO SVC WITH A DAMAGED AILERON REAR SPAR.

Narrative: WHILE CHANGING A TAB FITTING ON THE REAR SPAR OF THE AILERON, I DENTED THE REAR SPAR WHILE TRYING TO GET THE OLD FITTING OFF. AT THE TIME I THOUGHT THE REAR SPAR WAS THICKER THAN IT IS AND DIDN'T CONSIDER IT A PROB THAT NEEDED FURTHER ATTN. I RECENTLY FOUND OUT THE REAR SPAR IS ONLY .025 INCHES THICK. HAVING FOUND THIS OUT, I TOLD THE BASE MGR WHAT HAD HAPPENED. HE HAD A QUALITY CTL INSPECTOR LOOK AT ANOTHER AILERON THAT WAS REMOVED FROM ANOTHER ACFT TO SEE IF THE REAR SPAR COULD BE TESTED FOR CRACKS FROM AN ACCESS HOLE. THE INSPECTOR SAID THAT THEY COULD EDDY CURRENT THE SPAR FOR CRACKS. THE BASE MGR IS GOING TO FIND OUT THROUGH RECORDS WHICH PLANE IT WAS AND HAVE THE AILERON REAR SPAR EDDY-CURRENTED. SINCE THIS HAPPENED APPROX 7-8 MONTHS AGO, I DON'T KNOW WHICH ACFT IT WAS OR WHICH AILERON IT WAS. HOW I FOUND OUT ABOUT THE SPAR THICKNESS IS THAT ANOTHER SHEET METAL MECH WAS CHANGING A FITTING IN THE SAME SPOT WHEN HE CRACKED THE REAR SPAR AND ENDED UP SPLICING IN A NEW SECTION OF THE REAR SPAR. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE ACFT WAS IDENTED AND THE AILERON WAS INSPECTED AND ONLY MINOR DAMAGE WAS NOTED. THE RPTR SAID THE SHOP PROCS WERE NOT CHANGED BUT EVERYONE WHO WORKS AILERONS IS AWARE OF THE SPAR PROB.

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.