Narrative:

On apr/xa/98 I was called in to MEL the autospoiler system on aircraft xyz, an MD80 type aircraft. The MEL calls for special procedure to determine autospoiler actuator position and, if necessary, to move the actuator to the flight mode. I determined the actuator needed to be moved to the flight mode position. The air carrier special procedures call for the following: 1) pull and collar the 115 vac circuit breaker. 2) remove the actuator cover. 3) wrench the actuator to the flight mode. 4) replace the actuator cover. I referred to the maintenance manual for a picture of the proper actuator position and also noted the difference in deactivation procedures between the 2 manuals. I soon found I was unable to move the actuator to the flight mode and then I referred to the maintenance manual procedure. This calls for removing the cannon plug from the actuator and securing it, then disconnecting the actuator control arm from the pushrod and manually rotating the actuator control arm to the flight mode. About 45 mins after scheduled departure time, I was finally able to move the actuator to the flight mode. At this time I was interrupted by the customer service station manager with a message from XXX maintenance control. She agreed to notify XXX I was putting the aircraft back together. I proceeded to close the aircraft up and accomplish the paperwork for the MEL procedure. Before I was able to complete the logbook, I was interrupted again, questioning when the aircraft would be ready due to the longer than expected delay. After the aircraft departed, while doing my computer entry, I remembered I had intended to take a circuit breaker collar with me to collar the pulled 115 vac circuit breaker when I gave the logbook to the crew. I also began to wonder if I may have inadvertently left a spring disconnected after I put the pushrod back on the actuator control lever. I then called XXX maintenance control and told the foreman on duty what I thought I may have forgotten to do. He advised me he would have it checked downline at the next station and reminded me that I had deactivated the system and it would not be used. The first, and biggest, contributing factor is that I allowed myself to be rushed. It seemed like a 10-15 min job but took an hour. The maintenance manual does have a step for removing the spring for actuator removal but doesn't mention it during actuator deactivation. The MEL special procedure could also use a picture of the actuator in the flight and ground modes.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD80 WAS DISPATCHED WITH THE AUTO GND SPOILERS DEFERRED AS INOP BUT THE MEL SPECIAL PROCS WERE ACCOMPLISHED IMPROPERLY.

Narrative: ON APR/XA/98 I WAS CALLED IN TO MEL THE AUTOSPOILER SYS ON ACFT XYZ, AN MD80 TYPE ACFT. THE MEL CALLS FOR SPECIAL PROC TO DETERMINE AUTOSPOILER ACTUATOR POS AND, IF NECESSARY, TO MOVE THE ACTUATOR TO THE FLT MODE. I DETERMINED THE ACTUATOR NEEDED TO BE MOVED TO THE FLT MODE POS. THE ACR SPECIAL PROCS CALL FOR THE FOLLOWING: 1) PULL AND COLLAR THE 115 VAC CIRCUIT BREAKER. 2) REMOVE THE ACTUATOR COVER. 3) WRENCH THE ACTUATOR TO THE FLT MODE. 4) REPLACE THE ACTUATOR COVER. I REFERRED TO THE MAINT MANUAL FOR A PICTURE OF THE PROPER ACTUATOR POS AND ALSO NOTED THE DIFFERENCE IN DEACTIVATION PROCS BTWN THE 2 MANUALS. I SOON FOUND I WAS UNABLE TO MOVE THE ACTUATOR TO THE FLT MODE AND THEN I REFERRED TO THE MAINT MANUAL PROC. THIS CALLS FOR REMOVING THE CANNON PLUG FROM THE ACTUATOR AND SECURING IT, THEN DISCONNECTING THE ACTUATOR CTL ARM FROM THE PUSHROD AND MANUALLY ROTATING THE ACTUATOR CTL ARM TO THE FLT MODE. ABOUT 45 MINS AFTER SCHEDULED DEP TIME, I WAS FINALLY ABLE TO MOVE THE ACTUATOR TO THE FLT MODE. AT THIS TIME I WAS INTERRUPTED BY THE CUSTOMER SVC STATION MGR WITH A MESSAGE FROM XXX MAINT CTL. SHE AGREED TO NOTIFY XXX I WAS PUTTING THE ACFT BACK TOGETHER. I PROCEEDED TO CLOSE THE ACFT UP AND ACCOMPLISH THE PAPERWORK FOR THE MEL PROC. BEFORE I WAS ABLE TO COMPLETE THE LOGBOOK, I WAS INTERRUPTED AGAIN, QUESTIONING WHEN THE ACFT WOULD BE READY DUE TO THE LONGER THAN EXPECTED DELAY. AFTER THE ACFT DEPARTED, WHILE DOING MY COMPUTER ENTRY, I REMEMBERED I HAD INTENDED TO TAKE A CIRCUIT BREAKER COLLAR WITH ME TO COLLAR THE PULLED 115 VAC CIRCUIT BREAKER WHEN I GAVE THE LOGBOOK TO THE CREW. I ALSO BEGAN TO WONDER IF I MAY HAVE INADVERTENTLY LEFT A SPRING DISCONNECTED AFTER I PUT THE PUSHROD BACK ON THE ACTUATOR CTL LEVER. I THEN CALLED XXX MAINT CTL AND TOLD THE FOREMAN ON DUTY WHAT I THOUGHT I MAY HAVE FORGOTTEN TO DO. HE ADVISED ME HE WOULD HAVE IT CHKED DOWNLINE AT THE NEXT STATION AND REMINDED ME THAT I HAD DEACTIVATED THE SYS AND IT WOULD NOT BE USED. THE FIRST, AND BIGGEST, CONTRIBUTING FACTOR IS THAT I ALLOWED MYSELF TO BE RUSHED. IT SEEMED LIKE A 10-15 MIN JOB BUT TOOK AN HR. THE MAINT MANUAL DOES HAVE A STEP FOR REMOVING THE SPRING FOR ACTUATOR REMOVAL BUT DOESN'T MENTION IT DURING ACTUATOR DEACTIVATION. THE MEL SPECIAL PROC COULD ALSO USE A PICTURE OF THE ACTUATOR IN THE FLT AND GND MODES.

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.