Narrative:

Upon return from XXX, which I was working on an emergency field service for aircraft lease return, I was notified that flight had an air turn-back while I was away. After further investigation, found that this was the result of the r-hand main landing gear strut seal replacement that was accomplished on apr/xa/01, which I had signed off as being done in accordance with the maintenance manuals. On apr/xa/01 myself and other mechanics were assigned to replace the strut seals on the right main landing gear. When I arrived that morning, the strut had already been removed and disassembled. We referred to both maintenance manual and ipc for installation procedures. I felt that the figures were vague for detailed description as to how it should look once the upper split bearing was installed. We waited until the l-hand gear was lowered so we could compare the right with the left side, which we did. After installing the r-hand strut seal assembly, I signed off the item and went home. When we were working, there was no pressure to hurry up or anything like that, that might affect our judgement. In fact, I think the manuals were not detailed enough about the split bearing to where it should fit or a caution noting that improper installation would effect the extension of the inner strut, which is basically what happened.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B767-300 WAS UNABLE TO RETRACT THE R MAIN LNDG GEAR DUE TO INCORRECT REPLACEMENT OF THE R MAIN GEAR STRUT SEALS.

Narrative: UPON RETURN FROM XXX, WHICH I WAS WORKING ON AN EMER FIELD SVC FOR ACFT LEASE RETURN, I WAS NOTIFIED THAT FLT HAD AN AIR TURN-BACK WHILE I WAS AWAY. AFTER FURTHER INVESTIGATION, FOUND THAT THIS WAS THE RESULT OF THE R-HAND MAIN LNDG GEAR STRUT SEAL REPLACEMENT THAT WAS ACCOMPLISHED ON APR/XA/01, WHICH I HAD SIGNED OFF AS BEING DONE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE MAINT MANUALS. ON APR/XA/01 MYSELF AND OTHER MECHS WERE ASSIGNED TO REPLACE THE STRUT SEALS ON THE R MAIN LNDG GEAR. WHEN I ARRIVED THAT MORNING, THE STRUT HAD ALREADY BEEN REMOVED AND DISASSEMBLED. WE REFERRED TO BOTH MAINT MANUAL AND IPC FOR INSTALLATION PROCS. I FELT THAT THE FIGURES WERE VAGUE FOR DETAILED DESCRIPTION AS TO HOW IT SHOULD LOOK ONCE THE UPPER SPLIT BEARING WAS INSTALLED. WE WAITED UNTIL THE L-HAND GEAR WAS LOWERED SO WE COULD COMPARE THE R WITH THE L SIDE, WHICH WE DID. AFTER INSTALLING THE R-HAND STRUT SEAL ASSEMBLY, I SIGNED OFF THE ITEM AND WENT HOME. WHEN WE WERE WORKING, THERE WAS NO PRESSURE TO HURRY UP OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, THAT MIGHT AFFECT OUR JUDGEMENT. IN FACT, I THINK THE MANUALS WERE NOT DETAILED ENOUGH ABOUT THE SPLIT BEARING TO WHERE IT SHOULD FIT OR A CAUTION NOTING THAT IMPROPER INSTALLATION WOULD EFFECT THE EXTENSION OF THE INNER STRUT, WHICH IS BASICALLY WHAT HAPPENED.

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.