MD88 mechanic did not get the required inspection after a flight control adjustment.

Attributes
ACN	517659
Time
Date	200102
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-88
Flight Phase	ground : parked
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	maintenance : technician
Qualification	technician : powerplant technician : airframe
ASRS Report	517659
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	maintenance : inspector
Events
Anomaly	maintenance problem : improper maintenance non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure non adherence : company policies other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : 1
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : schedule pressure performance deficiency : inspection performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Maintenance Human Performance Company
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance
Situations
Publication	Main Manual Clarity

Narrative:

Inbound irregularity. After takeoff, rudder unrestr light went out at 130 KIAS on approach. Unrestr light was intermittent then out completely after landing. Rudder throw mechanism was tested per manual and was found in rig but out of adjustment. Adjustment was performed in accordance with manual by adjusting a push rod as the throw limiter. The manual never stated to inspect the rudder by inspection department after maintenance was completed. I believe that incorporating a statement in the manual for inspections after main adjustments would help the technician know that inspection department is required and would keep this type of situation from happening again. The failure to perform the inspection was discovered by an internal audit and was reinspected at a later date.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD88 MECH DID NOT GET THE REQUIRED INSPECTION AFTER A FLT CTL ADJUSTMENT.

Narrative: INBOUND IRREGULARITY. AFTER TKOF, RUDDER UNRESTR LIGHT WENT OUT AT 130 KIAS ON APCH. UNRESTR LIGHT WAS INTERMITTENT THEN OUT COMPLETELY AFTER LNDG. RUDDER THROW MECHANISM WAS TESTED PER MANUAL AND WAS FOUND IN RIG BUT OUT OF ADJUSTMENT. ADJUSTMENT WAS PERFORMED IN ACCORDANCE WITH MANUAL BY ADJUSTING A PUSH ROD AS THE THROW LIMITER. THE MANUAL NEVER STATED TO INSPECT THE RUDDER BY INSPECTION DEPT AFTER MAINT WAS COMPLETED. I BELIEVE THAT INCORPORATING A STATEMENT IN THE MANUAL FOR INSPECTIONS AFTER MAIN ADJUSTMENTS WOULD HELP THE TECHNICIAN KNOW THAT INSPECTION DEPT IS REQUIRED AND WOULD KEEP THIS TYPE OF SIT FROM HAPPENING AGAIN. THE FAILURE TO PERFORM THE INSPECTION WAS DISCOVERED BY AN INTERNAL AUDIT AND WAS REINSPECTED AT A LATER DATE.

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.