Narrative:

During a first stage fan assembly replacement on this engine, on installation, the fan blade retaining plate (blade lock) was not installed. This was discovered during the next shop visit. The primary reason this happened was due to the fact the job work cards being used at the time were not very explicit on this installation. That, along with job proficiency experience on this installation, contributed to the outcome. This occurred on dec/xa/97. Since then, the job work cards have been revised to reflect the installation of the fan blade retaining plate more clearly. Fortunately, there were not any consequences from this oversight. I was first notified of this occurrence on dec/xa/99. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the engine was a P&west JT8D-15A and the part omitted was a circular ring that was installed against the forward surface of the fan blade dovetail blade locks. The reporter said the retainer plate was discovered missing by a turbine shop inspector at a routine maintenance visit. The reporter stated the FAA has made contact and no action was taken. The reporter stated the company engineering group did revise the job cards to make the directives clear and concise. The reporter said only technicians trained on fan assembly installations will be assigned to this work in the future.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B727-200 WAS DISPATCHED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH #3 ENG FIRST STAGE FAN BLADE RETAINING PLATE NOT INSTALLED.

Narrative: DURING A FIRST STAGE FAN ASSEMBLY REPLACEMENT ON THIS ENG, ON INSTALLATION, THE FAN BLADE RETAINING PLATE (BLADE LOCK) WAS NOT INSTALLED. THIS WAS DISCOVERED DURING THE NEXT SHOP VISIT. THE PRIMARY REASON THIS HAPPENED WAS DUE TO THE FACT THE JOB WORK CARDS BEING USED AT THE TIME WERE NOT VERY EXPLICIT ON THIS INSTALLATION. THAT, ALONG WITH JOB PROFICIENCY EXPERIENCE ON THIS INSTALLATION, CONTRIBUTED TO THE OUTCOME. THIS OCCURRED ON DEC/XA/97. SINCE THEN, THE JOB WORK CARDS HAVE BEEN REVISED TO REFLECT THE INSTALLATION OF THE FAN BLADE RETAINING PLATE MORE CLRLY. FORTUNATELY, THERE WERE NOT ANY CONSEQUENCES FROM THIS OVERSIGHT. I WAS FIRST NOTIFIED OF THIS OCCURRENCE ON DEC/XA/99. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE ENG WAS A P&W JT8D-15A AND THE PART OMITTED WAS A CIRCULAR RING THAT WAS INSTALLED AGAINST THE FORWARD SURFACE OF THE FAN BLADE DOVETAIL BLADE LOCKS. THE RPTR SAID THE RETAINER PLATE WAS DISCOVERED MISSING BY A TURBINE SHOP INSPECTOR AT A ROUTINE MAINT VISIT. THE RPTR STATED THE FAA HAS MADE CONTACT AND NO ACTION WAS TAKEN. THE RPTR STATED THE COMPANY ENGINEERING GROUP DID REVISE THE JOB CARDS TO MAKE THE DIRECTIVES CLR AND CONCISE. THE RPTR SAID ONLY TECHNICIANS TRAINED ON FAN ASSEMBLY INSTALLATIONS WILL BE ASSIGNED TO THIS WORK IN THE FUTURE.

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.