A B737-200 diverted due to #1 engine stalling caused by the nose cone loose in the inlet cowl damagi...

Attributes
ACN	429652
Time
Date	199902
Day	Mon
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	B737-200
Flight Phase	other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
ASRS Report	429652
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Nose bullet turned loose from #1 engine. Flight diverted due to compressor stalls. Nose bullet was found in the intake with studs attached. It damaged C1 and C2 fans and nose cowl. I was assigned to ship wzx with a #1 engine nose bullet loose. I removed bullet (dome) and installed a new one from stock per maintenance manual procedure. I replaced bullet due to I found some metal debris in old bullet nuts. I determined that there was possible thread wear on the old bullet nut. I inspected the studs on the N1 and N2 case, found secured and in good condition. I installed the new bullet per maintenance manual. After 2 days of flight and 6 legs, it came loose. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the primary cause of the nose bullet turning loose was the fan case nose cone mounting studs were installed too deeply resulting in inadequate grip length left on the stud. The reporter said the FAA has contacted the air carrier but not the reporter.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-200 DIVERTED DUE TO #1 ENG STALLING CAUSED BY THE NOSE CONE LOOSE IN THE INLET COWL DAMAGING THE C1 AND C2 DISC.

Narrative: NOSE BULLET TURNED LOOSE FROM #1 ENG. FLT DIVERTED DUE TO COMPRESSOR STALLS. NOSE BULLET WAS FOUND IN THE INTAKE WITH STUDS ATTACHED. IT DAMAGED C1 AND C2 FANS AND NOSE COWL. I WAS ASSIGNED TO SHIP WZX WITH A #1 ENG NOSE BULLET LOOSE. I REMOVED BULLET (DOME) AND INSTALLED A NEW ONE FROM STOCK PER MAINT MANUAL PROC. I REPLACED BULLET DUE TO I FOUND SOME METAL DEBRIS IN OLD BULLET NUTS. I DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS POSSIBLE THREAD WEAR ON THE OLD BULLET NUT. I INSPECTED THE STUDS ON THE N1 AND N2 CASE, FOUND SECURED AND IN GOOD CONDITION. I INSTALLED THE NEW BULLET PER MAINT MANUAL. AFTER 2 DAYS OF FLT AND 6 LEGS, IT CAME LOOSE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE PRIMARY CAUSE OF THE NOSE BULLET TURNING LOOSE WAS THE FAN CASE NOSE CONE MOUNTING STUDS WERE INSTALLED TOO DEEPLY RESULTING IN INADEQUATE GRIP LENGTH LEFT ON THE STUD. THE RPTR SAID THE FAA HAS CONTACTED THE ACR BUT NOT THE RPTR.

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 diverted due to #1 engine stalling caused by the nose cone loose in the inlet cowl damaging the C1 and C2 disc.