An airline mechanic leaves his flashlight in a compartment in a DH8 after changing a propeller sync ...

Attributes
ACN	398851
Time
Date	199804
Day	Fri
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	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Dash 8-100
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
ASRS Report	398851
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel other oversight : supervisor
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

On mar/xa/98, aircraft arrived in ZZZ with a minor propeller speed fluctuation while propeller sync was activated. I performed an inspection of all related items to the system for proper resistance of sensors, proper gaps of pickups, and general integrity of the system. No defects or discrepancies were found and logbook entry was signed off noting all actions taken. Approximately 2 hours later, the maintenance supervisor decided that the propeller sync control box should be changed as a precaution. This control box is located on an electrical shelf in the aircraft wardrobe. All other maintenance on the aircraft was completed and this replacement was the last task assigned. Time was approximately AB00. Lighting in the wardrobe is minimal so I placed my flashlight on a ledge to allow me to see my work. I removed the propeller sync control box and, with help from a fellow mechanic, installed the new box. Upon completion of the task, I made another entry into the logbook reflecting what had been done and closed up the work area. I was then assigned to another aircraft to repos this other aircraft to the gate. At approximately AC00 aircraft was pulled from the hangar and taxied to the terminal where it was later put into service. Three days later, an electrical burning smell was noted by crew coming from the wardrobe during takeoff from YYY. An air turnback was initiated and maintenance was called to check the aircraft. My flashlight was found contacting a relay and shorting to a floor panel in the wardrobe. Both the relay and panel were replaced and no other damage found. Aircraft took approximately 6 delays/cancellations. I believe the 2 greatest contributing factors to this error were fatigue and lack of tool control. I also believe the idea of 'last min' maintenance helped to contribute to the problem because at that time of the day we are winding down from the work and preparing to complete all tasks and take the aircraft to the gate area.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN AIRLINE MECH LEAVES HIS FLASHLIGHT IN A COMPARTMENT IN A DH8 AFTER CHANGING A PROP SYNC CTL UNIT. 3 DAYS LATER THE ACFT IS RETURNED TO YYY ARPT WHEN SMOKE IS SMELLED ON THE ACFT.

Narrative: ON MAR/XA/98, ACFT ARRIVED IN ZZZ WITH A MINOR PROP SPD FLUCTUATION WHILE PROP SYNC WAS ACTIVATED. I PERFORMED AN INSPECTION OF ALL RELATED ITEMS TO THE SYS FOR PROPER RESISTANCE OF SENSORS, PROPER GAPS OF PICKUPS, AND GENERAL INTEGRITY OF THE SYS. NO DEFECTS OR DISCREPANCIES WERE FOUND AND LOGBOOK ENTRY WAS SIGNED OFF NOTING ALL ACTIONS TAKEN. APPROX 2 HRS LATER, THE MAINT SUPVR DECIDED THAT THE PROP SYNC CTL BOX SHOULD BE CHANGED AS A PRECAUTION. THIS CTL BOX IS LOCATED ON AN ELECTRICAL SHELF IN THE ACFT WARDROBE. ALL OTHER MAINT ON THE ACFT WAS COMPLETED AND THIS REPLACEMENT WAS THE LAST TASK ASSIGNED. TIME WAS APPROX AB00. LIGHTING IN THE WARDROBE IS MINIMAL SO I PLACED MY FLASHLIGHT ON A LEDGE TO ALLOW ME TO SEE MY WORK. I REMOVED THE PROP SYNC CTL BOX AND, WITH HELP FROM A FELLOW MECH, INSTALLED THE NEW BOX. UPON COMPLETION OF THE TASK, I MADE ANOTHER ENTRY INTO THE LOGBOOK REFLECTING WHAT HAD BEEN DONE AND CLOSED UP THE WORK AREA. I WAS THEN ASSIGNED TO ANOTHER ACFT TO REPOS THIS OTHER ACFT TO THE GATE. AT APPROX AC00 ACFT WAS PULLED FROM THE HANGAR AND TAXIED TO THE TERMINAL WHERE IT WAS LATER PUT INTO SVC. THREE DAYS LATER, AN ELECTRICAL BURNING SMELL WAS NOTED BY CREW COMING FROM THE WARDROBE DURING TKOF FROM YYY. AN AIR TURNBACK WAS INITIATED AND MAINT WAS CALLED TO CHK THE ACFT. MY FLASHLIGHT WAS FOUND CONTACTING A RELAY AND SHORTING TO A FLOOR PANEL IN THE WARDROBE. BOTH THE RELAY AND PANEL WERE REPLACED AND NO OTHER DAMAGE FOUND. ACFT TOOK APPROX 6 DELAYS/CANCELLATIONS. I BELIEVE THE 2 GREATEST CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO THIS ERROR WERE FATIGUE AND LACK OF TOOL CTL. I ALSO BELIEVE THE IDEA OF 'LAST MIN' MAINT HELPED TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE PROB BECAUSE AT THAT TIME OF THE DAY WE ARE WINDING DOWN FROM THE WORK AND PREPARING TO COMPLETE ALL TASKS AND TAKE THE ACFT TO THE GATE AREA.

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.

An airline mechanic leaves his flashlight in a compartment in a DH8 after changing a propeller sync control unit. 3 days later the aircraft is returned to YYY airport when smoke is smelled on the aircraft.