A DC9-30 was dispatched with a tailskid wear strip worn beyond maintenance manual limits.

Attributes
ACN	412873
Time
Date	199809
Day	Wed
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
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 30
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	412873
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel other oversight : supervisor
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I was called out to aircraft xyz flight YYY ZZZ-WWW at XA25 to address a pilot log item. The aircraft was scheduled for an XA45 departure. The captain informed me that the tailskid appeared to be scraped along the bottom surface. I proceeded to call maintenance control (yzy) for information concerning wear damage limits and the possibility of setting an EST return to service. I spoke with maintenance control foreman bzby. Bzby supplied me with tailskid wear limits and a maintenance manual reference. He noted that if less than .030 inch material remained, tailskid strip must be replaced within 250 flight hours. I advised bzby, the indicator pin was still in the horizontal position. However, 50% of the skid strip was missing. Somehow, this was misinterped in our discussion to imply that it was in fact within limits per the maintenance manual. I then proceeded to program it for replacement within 250 flight hours. Upon departure of the aircraft, I proceeded to review these limits and noted the following statement: 'if tail skid strip is completely worn through, replace before further flight.' upon further discussion with maintenance foreman bzby, we both agreed the aircraft should be removed from service upon arrival for replacement of the tailskid strip.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DC9-30 WAS DISPATCHED WITH A TAILSKID WEAR STRIP WORN BEYOND MAINT MANUAL LIMITS.

Narrative: I WAS CALLED OUT TO ACFT XYZ FLT YYY ZZZ-WWW AT XA25 TO ADDRESS A PLT LOG ITEM. THE ACFT WAS SCHEDULED FOR AN XA45 DEP. THE CAPT INFORMED ME THAT THE TAILSKID APPEARED TO BE SCRAPED ALONG THE BOTTOM SURFACE. I PROCEEDED TO CALL MAINT CTL (YZY) FOR INFO CONCERNING WEAR DAMAGE LIMITS AND THE POSSIBILITY OF SETTING AN EST RETURN TO SVC. I SPOKE WITH MAINT CTL FOREMAN BZBY. BZBY SUPPLIED ME WITH TAILSKID WEAR LIMITS AND A MAINT MANUAL REF. HE NOTED THAT IF LESS THAN .030 INCH MATERIAL REMAINED, TAILSKID STRIP MUST BE REPLACED WITHIN 250 FLT HRS. I ADVISED BZBY, THE INDICATOR PIN WAS STILL IN THE HORIZ POS. HOWEVER, 50% OF THE SKID STRIP WAS MISSING. SOMEHOW, THIS WAS MISINTERPED IN OUR DISCUSSION TO IMPLY THAT IT WAS IN FACT WITHIN LIMITS PER THE MAINT MANUAL. I THEN PROCEEDED TO PROGRAM IT FOR REPLACEMENT WITHIN 250 FLT HRS. UPON DEP OF THE ACFT, I PROCEEDED TO REVIEW THESE LIMITS AND NOTED THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT: 'IF TAIL SKID STRIP IS COMPLETELY WORN THROUGH, REPLACE BEFORE FURTHER FLT.' UPON FURTHER DISCUSSION WITH MAINT FOREMAN BZBY, WE BOTH AGREED THE ACFT SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM SVC UPON ARR FOR REPLACEMENT OF THE TAILSKID STRIP.

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.