Narrative:

On nov/xa/99 I (abc def) caught aircraft xyz (an MD11) for air carrier. I am a senior mechanic for air carrier. My gate partner WX wxxx and I parked the aircraft. I did a walkaround on the left side and my partner on the right. Everything was ok. I asked the pilot how the airplane was and he said good. While the flight crew was doing their walkaround, I was notified that the #1 inboard side of the thrust reverser was not stowed. When I arrived at the aircraft the inboard side was not stowed. There was a 3/4 inch gap. My gate partner and I operated the thrust reverser -- it operated correctly. At that time I noticed at the 9 O'clock position on the inboard side of the thrust reverser looking aft, the lockout bracket was missing. Inspected the thrust reverser and did not find the missing bracket. The pilot also informed me that there was a #1 thrust reverser unlock light illuminated which was not illuminated at block-in. At this time I deferred the #1 thrust reverser per MEL xx-Y which consists of locking the thrust reverser out. I installed 2 each lock plates on the inboard and outboard gear boxes of the thrust reverser. I also installed 5 of the 6 lockout plates on the #1 thrust reverser translating cowl. I could not install the one at the 9 O'clock position due to the lockout bracket missing. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter was concerned about deviating from the MEL special procedures by using only 5 lockout bolts. The reporter said maintenance control was advised and the deferral was approved.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD11 WAS DISPATCHED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH #1 ENG THRUST REVERSER RENDERED INOP PER THE MEL BUT WAS MISSING 1 OF 6 LOCKOUT BOLTS.

Narrative: ON NOV/XA/99 I (ABC DEF) CAUGHT ACFT XYZ (AN MD11) FOR ACR. I AM A SENIOR MECH FOR ACR. MY GATE PARTNER WX WXXX AND I PARKED THE ACFT. I DID A WALKAROUND ON THE L SIDE AND MY PARTNER ON THE R. EVERYTHING WAS OK. I ASKED THE PLT HOW THE AIRPLANE WAS AND HE SAID GOOD. WHILE THE FLC WAS DOING THEIR WALKAROUND, I WAS NOTIFIED THAT THE #1 INBOARD SIDE OF THE THRUST REVERSER WAS NOT STOWED. WHEN I ARRIVED AT THE ACFT THE INBOARD SIDE WAS NOT STOWED. THERE WAS A 3/4 INCH GAP. MY GATE PARTNER AND I OPERATED THE THRUST REVERSER -- IT OPERATED CORRECTLY. AT THAT TIME I NOTICED AT THE 9 O'CLOCK POS ON THE INBOARD SIDE OF THE THRUST REVERSER LOOKING AFT, THE LOCKOUT BRACKET WAS MISSING. INSPECTED THE THRUST REVERSER AND DID NOT FIND THE MISSING BRACKET. THE PLT ALSO INFORMED ME THAT THERE WAS A #1 THRUST REVERSER UNLOCK LIGHT ILLUMINATED WHICH WAS NOT ILLUMINATED AT BLOCK-IN. AT THIS TIME I DEFERRED THE #1 THRUST REVERSER PER MEL XX-Y WHICH CONSISTS OF LOCKING THE THRUST REVERSER OUT. I INSTALLED 2 EACH LOCK PLATES ON THE INBOARD AND OUTBOARD GEAR BOXES OF THE THRUST REVERSER. I ALSO INSTALLED 5 OF THE 6 LOCKOUT PLATES ON THE #1 THRUST REVERSER TRANSLATING COWL. I COULD NOT INSTALL THE ONE AT THE 9 O'CLOCK POS DUE TO THE LOCKOUT BRACKET MISSING. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR WAS CONCERNED ABOUT DEVIATING FROM THE MEL SPECIAL PROCS BY USING ONLY 5 LOCKOUT BOLTS. THE RPTR SAID MAINT CTL WAS ADVISED AND THE DEFERRAL WAS APPROVED.

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.