B747. Contract maintenance stuffed a rag into the engine oil breather line at rjnn.

Attributes
ACN	457117
Time
Date	199912
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : rjnn.airport
State Reference	FO
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B747-400
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	457117
Person 2
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : improper documentation maintenance problem : improper maintenance non adherence : published procedure non adherence : company policies non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company Maintenance Human Performance
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

During exterior preflight I discovered a paper towel stuffed into an engine breather tube on the bottom of the #2 engine. It was apparently placed there by contract maintenance to prevent engine oil from dripping on the ramp. The towel had been removed by the time I made a logbook entry and had maintenance come look at the breather. I think I understand there were good intentions (ie, clean ramp) but I think this practice is unacceptable. I can report this incident to my employer, but if this is common practice by contract maintenance it should be stopped immediately and all operators (part 121, part 91, military, etc) that deal with the air carrier should be informed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B747. CONTRACT MAINT STUFFED A RAG INTO THE ENG OIL BREATHER LINE AT RJNN.

Narrative: DURING EXTERIOR PREFLT I DISCOVERED A PAPER TOWEL STUFFED INTO AN ENG BREATHER TUBE ON THE BOTTOM OF THE #2 ENG. IT WAS APPARENTLY PLACED THERE BY CONTRACT MAINT TO PREVENT ENG OIL FROM DRIPPING ON THE RAMP. THE TOWEL HAD BEEN REMOVED BY THE TIME I MADE A LOGBOOK ENTRY AND HAD MAINT COME LOOK AT THE BREATHER. I THINK I UNDERSTAND THERE WERE GOOD INTENTIONS (IE, CLEAN RAMP) BUT I THINK THIS PRACTICE IS UNACCEPTABLE. I CAN RPT THIS INCIDENT TO MY EMPLOYER, BUT IF THIS IS COMMON PRACTICE BY CONTRACT MAINT IT SHOULD BE STOPPED IMMEDIATELY AND ALL OPERATORS (PART 121, PART 91, MIL, ETC) THAT DEAL WITH THE ACR SHOULD BE INFORMED.

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.