Narrative:

On oct/thu/00, I, along with another mechanic and a lead mechanic, went to the line to troubleshoot the #1 engine on air carrier ship #xyz. We drained the oil so that the tank could be removed to gain access to a suspect air leak that was damaging the oil tank heat shield. In order to drain the oil, I removed the oil tank chip detector and housing assembly. I dropped the assembly. I, in turn, inspected the packings and the assembly and did not recognize any damage. We then removed the oil tank. We found and repaired the suspect air leak. We reinstalled the tank. The chip detector and housing assembly were reinstalled. We confirmed that the chip detector was in its locked position within the housing. On oct/fri/00, upon arrival at work, I was told that the #1 engine on aircraft xyz had an in-flight shutdown, (caused by loss of oil), which in turn caused an air turn back. I asked my lead what the status of the engine was. After his explanation, I was under the impression that this engine could possibly go to test cell and be made a serviceable spare. In turn, I was concerned with passenger safety, knowing that I had dropped the chip detector, and that it could possibly be damaged even though I had inspected it. I, in turn, went to the hangar. I removed and re-inspected the chip detector and saw that it was damaged. Concerned that this engine may become a serviceable spare, I reinstalled a serviceable chip detector. I battled with anxiety over the next week knowing that I had taken the wrong corrective action. I knew that I had to reveal the action that I had taken. On oct/fri/00, I contacted my supervisor and told him what I did. The chip detector housing, that I installed, was obtained from a serviceable parts rack. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the engine was a P&west 4060 and required complete tear down and all bearings replaced. The reporter said the oil tank chip detector was found in the cowling. The reporter stated the FAA investigation was held and a letter was put in my file and the company gave me 2 weeks off without pay.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B767-300ER RETURNED TO THE FIELD DUE TO LOSS OF #1 ENG OIL CAUSED BY A UNSECURED OIL TANK CHIP DETECTOR.

Narrative: ON OCT/THU/00, I, ALONG WITH ANOTHER MECH AND A LEAD MECH, WENT TO THE LINE TO TROUBLESHOOT THE #1 ENG ON ACR SHIP #XYZ. WE DRAINED THE OIL SO THAT THE TANK COULD BE REMOVED TO GAIN ACCESS TO A SUSPECT AIR LEAK THAT WAS DAMAGING THE OIL TANK HEAT SHIELD. IN ORDER TO DRAIN THE OIL, I REMOVED THE OIL TANK CHIP DETECTOR AND HOUSING ASSEMBLY. I DROPPED THE ASSEMBLY. I, IN TURN, INSPECTED THE PACKINGS AND THE ASSEMBLY AND DID NOT RECOGNIZE ANY DAMAGE. WE THEN REMOVED THE OIL TANK. WE FOUND AND REPAIRED THE SUSPECT AIR LEAK. WE REINSTALLED THE TANK. THE CHIP DETECTOR AND HOUSING ASSEMBLY WERE REINSTALLED. WE CONFIRMED THAT THE CHIP DETECTOR WAS IN ITS LOCKED POS WITHIN THE HOUSING. ON OCT/FRI/00, UPON ARR AT WORK, I WAS TOLD THAT THE #1 ENG ON ACFT XYZ HAD AN INFLT SHUTDOWN, (CAUSED BY LOSS OF OIL), WHICH IN TURN CAUSED AN AIR TURN BACK. I ASKED MY LEAD WHAT THE STATUS OF THE ENG WAS. AFTER HIS EXPLANATION, I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT THIS ENG COULD POSSIBLY GO TO TEST CELL AND BE MADE A SERVICEABLE SPARE. IN TURN, I WAS CONCERNED WITH PAX SAFETY, KNOWING THAT I HAD DROPPED THE CHIP DETECTOR, AND THAT IT COULD POSSIBLY BE DAMAGED EVEN THOUGH I HAD INSPECTED IT. I, IN TURN, WENT TO THE HANGAR. I REMOVED AND RE-INSPECTED THE CHIP DETECTOR AND SAW THAT IT WAS DAMAGED. CONCERNED THAT THIS ENG MAY BECOME A SERVICEABLE SPARE, I REINSTALLED A SERVICEABLE CHIP DETECTOR. I BATTLED WITH ANXIETY OVER THE NEXT WK KNOWING THAT I HAD TAKEN THE WRONG CORRECTIVE ACTION. I KNEW THAT I HAD TO REVEAL THE ACTION THAT I HAD TAKEN. ON OCT/FRI/00, I CONTACTED MY SUPVR AND TOLD HIM WHAT I DID. THE CHIP DETECTOR HOUSING, THAT I INSTALLED, WAS OBTAINED FROM A SERVICEABLE PARTS RACK. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE ENG WAS A P&W 4060 AND REQUIRED COMPLETE TEAR DOWN AND ALL BEARINGS REPLACED. THE RPTR SAID THE OIL TANK CHIP DETECTOR WAS FOUND IN THE COWLING. THE RPTR STATED THE FAA INVESTIGATION WAS HELD AND A LETTER WAS PUT IN MY FILE AND THE COMPANY GAVE ME 2 WKS OFF WITHOUT PAY.

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.