Narrative:

On dec/xa/00, I performed a trailing edge lube on aircraft xyz as part of a maintenance check. It included lubing jack screws, ball nuts, and torque limiters and changing transmission fluids. We accomplished these 'B' checks on the ramp in the WX with inadequate facilities and lighting. Aircraft xyz flew from ZZZ to XXX. After landing, the pilots could not retract flaps from 1 degree to zero. Upon inspection they found rags on the ball nuts on the #1 and #7 jack screws. 2 flts were canceled as a result to remove and replace the jack screws. It was assumed that because it was the last maintenance action performed the rags were left by myself or my helper. As a practice, I always check my work area over and over. I had a ratchet and socket and a flashlight that were removed and I also removed rags. The aircraft was left with flaps down for a considerable amount of time before flaps were retracted. There was no other maintenance done in that area to my knowledge, and I am positive I removed all tools and rags. I was issued a step #1 written letter in my company file for 1 yr. Nothing has been done to provide mechanics with an adequate working facility for these checks.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B757-200 AFTER LNDG WAS UNABLE TO RETRACT THE TRAILING EDGE FLAPS DUE TO RAGS FOUND IN #1 AND #7 JACK SCREW ACTUATORS LEFT AFTER MAINT.

Narrative: ON DEC/XA/00, I PERFORMED A TRAILING EDGE LUBE ON ACFT XYZ AS PART OF A MAINT CHK. IT INCLUDED LUBING JACK SCREWS, BALL NUTS, AND TORQUE LIMITERS AND CHANGING XMISSION FLUIDS. WE ACCOMPLISHED THESE 'B' CHKS ON THE RAMP IN THE WX WITH INADEQUATE FACILITIES AND LIGHTING. ACFT XYZ FLEW FROM ZZZ TO XXX. AFTER LNDG, THE PLTS COULD NOT RETRACT FLAPS FROM 1 DEG TO ZERO. UPON INSPECTION THEY FOUND RAGS ON THE BALL NUTS ON THE #1 AND #7 JACK SCREWS. 2 FLTS WERE CANCELED AS A RESULT TO REMOVE AND REPLACE THE JACK SCREWS. IT WAS ASSUMED THAT BECAUSE IT WAS THE LAST MAINT ACTION PERFORMED THE RAGS WERE LEFT BY MYSELF OR MY HELPER. AS A PRACTICE, I ALWAYS CHK MY WORK AREA OVER AND OVER. I HAD A RATCHET AND SOCKET AND A FLASHLIGHT THAT WERE REMOVED AND I ALSO REMOVED RAGS. THE ACFT WAS LEFT WITH FLAPS DOWN FOR A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF TIME BEFORE FLAPS WERE RETRACTED. THERE WAS NO OTHER MAINT DONE IN THAT AREA TO MY KNOWLEDGE, AND I AM POSITIVE I REMOVED ALL TOOLS AND RAGS. I WAS ISSUED A STEP #1 WRITTEN LETTER IN MY COMPANY FILE FOR 1 YR. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO PROVIDE MECHS WITH AN ADEQUATE WORKING FACILITY FOR THESE CHKS.

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.