Narrative:

On nov/xa/99, aircraft xyz needed both left and right nose tires replaced. Myself and mechanic #wxxx were assigned the task. Work was started at XA00 upon changing both tires. We were working as a crew. At the point of almost completing the job, the only thing left was to install the left and right nose tire hub caps. I had told wxxx that I had 'finger-tightened' the right nose cap bolts -- if he would tighten them up the rest of the way with his socket and wrench as I did not have a 9/16 inch socket at my disposal. I told him if he did this then I would pick up the tires and tools for clean-up because the crew was coming to get the aircraft. We then were at the point of signing the work off. We had both signed for the left nose tire, but upon filling out the statement for the right nose, wxxx had left the room to clean up and as I did not have his file number, I then signed off the nose tire myself. The aircraft was then released. I had assumed during the work task that all work was completed per air carrier reference maintenance manual 32. I did not know that there was a miscom about tightening up both nose tire hub caps. The next day, I was notified through company e-mail about the loose right nose tire hub cap from mechanic abc dex.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B727-200 WAS DISPATCHED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH THE R NOSE GEAR TIRE AND WHEEL ASSEMBLY HUB CAP NOT INSTALLED CORRECTLY.

Narrative: ON NOV/XA/99, ACFT XYZ NEEDED BOTH L AND R NOSE TIRES REPLACED. MYSELF AND MECH #WXXX WERE ASSIGNED THE TASK. WORK WAS STARTED AT XA00 UPON CHANGING BOTH TIRES. WE WERE WORKING AS A CREW. AT THE POINT OF ALMOST COMPLETING THE JOB, THE ONLY THING LEFT WAS TO INSTALL THE L AND R NOSE TIRE HUB CAPS. I HAD TOLD WXXX THAT I HAD 'FINGER-TIGHTENED' THE R NOSE CAP BOLTS -- IF HE WOULD TIGHTEN THEM UP THE REST OF THE WAY WITH HIS SOCKET AND WRENCH AS I DID NOT HAVE A 9/16 INCH SOCKET AT MY DISPOSAL. I TOLD HIM IF HE DID THIS THEN I WOULD PICK UP THE TIRES AND TOOLS FOR CLEAN-UP BECAUSE THE CREW WAS COMING TO GET THE ACFT. WE THEN WERE AT THE POINT OF SIGNING THE WORK OFF. WE HAD BOTH SIGNED FOR THE L NOSE TIRE, BUT UPON FILLING OUT THE STATEMENT FOR THE R NOSE, WXXX HAD LEFT THE ROOM TO CLEAN UP AND AS I DID NOT HAVE HIS FILE NUMBER, I THEN SIGNED OFF THE NOSE TIRE MYSELF. THE ACFT WAS THEN RELEASED. I HAD ASSUMED DURING THE WORK TASK THAT ALL WORK WAS COMPLETED PER ACR REF MAINT MANUAL 32. I DID NOT KNOW THAT THERE WAS A MISCOM ABOUT TIGHTENING UP BOTH NOSE TIRE HUB CAPS. THE NEXT DAY, I WAS NOTIFIED THROUGH COMPANY E-MAIL ABOUT THE LOOSE R NOSE TIRE HUB CAP FROM MECH ABC DEX.

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.