Narrative:

While I was working a deferred item for excessive flap droop on an MD88, I found it necessary per the maintenance manual troubleshooting guide to replace the left and right inboard trailing edge flap actuating cylinders. After replacing the cylinders per the maintenance manual, I asked another mechanic to overlook my work and help me finish the installation by operating the flaps while I checked for leaks and proper operation as per the maintenance manual. Both cylinders checked good. I rechked the maintenance manual and at that time found no evidence the cylinders were required inspection items (rii), so I signed the cylinders off in the aircraft log. I was working several days later when I noticed a poster listing what items are rii. Having noticed that flight controls, and in particular primary control actuators are rii, I realized an inspector needed to check the installation of the cylinders. We do not replace rii items often in our day to day work, and it is hard to keep up with the rii list. The list is posted in our work areas, but it is along with several other posters of the same size and color. I believe recurrent training or marking the maintenance manual with an rii logo would greatly increase the awareness of what items are rii. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the job was worked using the maintenance manual procedure and had no indication or statement that a required inspection was needed after completion. The reporter said the routine job cards are in the same situation where no indication is noted. The reporter stated the carrier self disclosed that in the past months 200 aircraft were not inspected and re-inspection was required. The reporter stated in light of the recent disclosure and the number of aircraft involved the maintenance manual paperwork and job cards must be revised.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD88 WAS DISPATCHED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH PRIMARY FLT CTL UNITS REPLACED WITHOUT THE REQUIRED INSPECTION ACCOMPLISHED.

Narrative: WHILE I WAS WORKING A DEFERRED ITEM FOR EXCESSIVE FLAP DROOP ON AN MD88, I FOUND IT NECESSARY PER THE MAINT MANUAL TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE TO REPLACE THE L AND R INBOARD TRAILING EDGE FLAP ACTUATING CYLINDERS. AFTER REPLACING THE CYLINDERS PER THE MAINT MANUAL, I ASKED ANOTHER MECH TO OVERLOOK MY WORK AND HELP ME FINISH THE INSTALLATION BY OPERATING THE FLAPS WHILE I CHKED FOR LEAKS AND PROPER OP AS PER THE MAINT MANUAL. BOTH CYLINDERS CHKED GOOD. I RECHKED THE MAINT MANUAL AND AT THAT TIME FOUND NO EVIDENCE THE CYLINDERS WERE REQUIRED INSPECTION ITEMS (RII), SO I SIGNED THE CYLINDERS OFF IN THE ACFT LOG. I WAS WORKING SEVERAL DAYS LATER WHEN I NOTICED A POSTER LISTING WHAT ITEMS ARE RII. HAVING NOTICED THAT FLT CTLS, AND IN PARTICULAR PRIMARY CTL ACTUATORS ARE RII, I REALIZED AN INSPECTOR NEEDED TO CHK THE INSTALLATION OF THE CYLINDERS. WE DO NOT REPLACE RII ITEMS OFTEN IN OUR DAY TO DAY WORK, AND IT IS HARD TO KEEP UP WITH THE RII LIST. THE LIST IS POSTED IN OUR WORK AREAS, BUT IT IS ALONG WITH SEVERAL OTHER POSTERS OF THE SAME SIZE AND COLOR. I BELIEVE RECURRENT TRAINING OR MARKING THE MAINT MANUAL WITH AN RII LOGO WOULD GREATLY INCREASE THE AWARENESS OF WHAT ITEMS ARE RII. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE JOB WAS WORKED USING THE MAINT MANUAL PROC AND HAD NO INDICATION OR STATEMENT THAT A REQUIRED INSPECTION WAS NEEDED AFTER COMPLETION. THE RPTR SAID THE ROUTINE JOB CARDS ARE IN THE SAME SIT WHERE NO INDICATION IS NOTED. THE RPTR STATED THE CARRIER SELF DISCLOSED THAT IN THE PAST MONTHS 200 ACFT WERE NOT INSPECTED AND RE-INSPECTION WAS REQUIRED. THE RPTR STATED IN LIGHT OF THE RECENT DISCLOSURE AND THE NUMBER OF ACFT INVOLVED THE MAINT MANUAL PAPERWORK AND JOB CARDS MUST BE REVISED.

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.