Narrative:

Involving main landing gear alternate extension cables on aircraft xyz. Became aware that alternate extension handle would not lock aft during test flight. Suspecting possible cable problem, proceeded to measure cables and found l-hand and r-hand were both reversed. Started process of reversing cables to proper position. But while aircraft was in hangar, all rigging checks performed without problems. Gear swing functional performed and alternate handle and gear operation performed without problems. Sorry problem was not found in hangar. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the technician who was assigned the cable installation work refused any help installing the cable. The reporter said normally this is a 2 man job because it is easy to make the cable switch and 2 additional pair of eyes would prevent the switching of the cables. The reporter stated the installing technician did not lock the main gear quadrants with rig pins to prevent movement while the cables were installed. The reporter said the free fall of the gear appeared ok when the gear was dropped in the hangar but when dropped in-flight, the alternate extension handle would not lock in the down position. The reporter said with the handle not locked down, bypassing the normal gear extension would not be possible, and the hydraulic system would still power the landing gear.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD SUPER 80 WAS DISPATCHED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH THE LNDG GEAR ALTERNATE EXTENSION CABLES REVERSED.

Narrative: INVOLVING MAIN LNDG GEAR ALTERNATE EXTENSION CABLES ON ACFT XYZ. BECAME AWARE THAT ALTERNATE EXTENSION HANDLE WOULD NOT LOCK AFT DURING TEST FLT. SUSPECTING POSSIBLE CABLE PROB, PROCEEDED TO MEASURE CABLES AND FOUND L-HAND AND R-HAND WERE BOTH REVERSED. STARTED PROCESS OF REVERSING CABLES TO PROPER POS. BUT WHILE ACFT WAS IN HANGAR, ALL RIGGING CHKS PERFORMED WITHOUT PROBS. GEAR SWING FUNCTIONAL PERFORMED AND ALTERNATE HANDLE AND GEAR OP PERFORMED WITHOUT PROBS. SORRY PROB WAS NOT FOUND IN HANGAR. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE TECHNICIAN WHO WAS ASSIGNED THE CABLE INSTALLATION WORK REFUSED ANY HELP INSTALLING THE CABLE. THE RPTR SAID NORMALLY THIS IS A 2 MAN JOB BECAUSE IT IS EASY TO MAKE THE CABLE SWITCH AND 2 ADDITIONAL PAIR OF EYES WOULD PREVENT THE SWITCHING OF THE CABLES. THE RPTR STATED THE INSTALLING TECHNICIAN DID NOT LOCK THE MAIN GEAR QUADRANTS WITH RIG PINS TO PREVENT MOVEMENT WHILE THE CABLES WERE INSTALLED. THE RPTR SAID THE FREE FALL OF THE GEAR APPEARED OK WHEN THE GEAR WAS DROPPED IN THE HANGAR BUT WHEN DROPPED INFLT, THE ALTERNATE EXTENSION HANDLE WOULD NOT LOCK IN THE DOWN POS. THE RPTR SAID WITH THE HANDLE NOT LOCKED DOWN, BYPASSING THE NORMAL GEAR EXTENSION WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE, AND THE HYD SYS WOULD STILL PWR THE LNDG GEAR.

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.