Narrative:

On jun/fri/00, engineering submitted a memo to air carrier, 'pressurized fuselage lightning strike damage repair -- requirement for ndt inspection,' requesting deferment of the ndt part 6, section 51-00-00 figure 3 inspection for 24 hours to allow continued revenue service. On jun/fri/01, boeing rapid response replied to air carrier stating: 1) air carrier can delete the B737-700 srm 53-00-01 repair 13 requirement to accomplish ndt inspections if the damage is less than 0.3125 inch in diameter and adheres to the following: a) in the case where the damage is a small burn mark or pit, installation of a rivet per the B737-700 srm 53-00-01 repair 13, paragraph 4C is considered structurally satisfactory. B) in the case where the damage is on the surface, the damage can be blended out following the srm blend-out guidelines. Install a rivet per B737-700 srm 53-00-01 repair 13, paragraph 4C if allowable damage removal limits are exceeded. 2) if the damage exceeds 0.3125 inch diameter of if there is discoloration in the paint, the B737-700 srm 53-00-01 repair 13 ndt inspection should be accomplished to determine the extent of damage or a srm cutout repair accomplished. On oct/mon/01, I am submitting depicting the following errors: 1) air carrier engineering knowingly and willingly removed the statement regarding, 'if there is discoloration in the paint, the B737-700 srm 53-00-01 repair 13 ndt inspection should be accomplished to determine the extent of damage or a srm cutout repair accomplished.' 2) the B737-700, 300, 500, and 200 are very clear that an ndt conductivity inspection must be accomplished to determine the extent of damage reference B737-700 srm 53-00-01-2 repair 13, paragraph 4.a.(1)(a), B737-300/500 srm 53-00-01-3 figure 219, paragraph 1. The dye penetrate inspection is not an alternative to a conductivity test that determines a possible change in heat treatment. The dye penetration examination uses the liquid to go into a defect that is open at the surface of the part, ie, cracks. The B737-700 srm 53-00-01-2 repair 13, paragraph 4B(1)(B)(2) allows for the dye penetration, as an alternative inspection on the outer skin after damage removal not to determine extent of damage as the RA implies. The B737-300/500 srm states the same reference B737-300/500 srm 53-00-01-3 figure 219, paragraph 2(B).

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737 STRUCTURE'S ENGINEER ALLEGES UPPER MGMNT KNOWINGLY CHANGED THE MANUFACTURER'S REQUIREMENT FOR A NON DESTRUCTIVE TEST ON SKIN DAMAGE.

Narrative: ON JUN/FRI/00, ENGINEERING SUBMITTED A MEMO TO ACR, 'PRESSURIZED FUSELAGE LIGHTNING STRIKE DAMAGE REPAIR -- REQUIREMENT FOR NDT INSPECTION,' REQUESTING DEFERMENT OF THE NDT PART 6, SECTION 51-00-00 FIGURE 3 INSPECTION FOR 24 HRS TO ALLOW CONTINUED REVENUE SVC. ON JUN/FRI/01, BOEING RAPID RESPONSE REPLIED TO ACR STATING: 1) ACR CAN DELETE THE B737-700 SRM 53-00-01 REPAIR 13 REQUIREMENT TO ACCOMPLISH NDT INSPECTIONS IF THE DAMAGE IS LESS THAN 0.3125 INCH IN DIAMETER AND ADHERES TO THE FOLLOWING: A) IN THE CASE WHERE THE DAMAGE IS A SMALL BURN MARK OR PIT, INSTALLATION OF A RIVET PER THE B737-700 SRM 53-00-01 REPAIR 13, PARAGRAPH 4C IS CONSIDERED STRUCTURALLY SATISFACTORY. B) IN THE CASE WHERE THE DAMAGE IS ON THE SURFACE, THE DAMAGE CAN BE BLENDED OUT FOLLOWING THE SRM BLEND-OUT GUIDELINES. INSTALL A RIVET PER B737-700 SRM 53-00-01 REPAIR 13, PARAGRAPH 4C IF ALLOWABLE DAMAGE REMOVAL LIMITS ARE EXCEEDED. 2) IF THE DAMAGE EXCEEDS 0.3125 INCH DIAMETER OF IF THERE IS DISCOLORATION IN THE PAINT, THE B737-700 SRM 53-00-01 REPAIR 13 NDT INSPECTION SHOULD BE ACCOMPLISHED TO DETERMINE THE EXTENT OF DAMAGE OR A SRM CUTOUT REPAIR ACCOMPLISHED. ON OCT/MON/01, I AM SUBMITTING DEPICTING THE FOLLOWING ERRORS: 1) ACR ENGINEERING KNOWINGLY AND WILLINGLY REMOVED THE STATEMENT REGARDING, 'IF THERE IS DISCOLORATION IN THE PAINT, THE B737-700 SRM 53-00-01 REPAIR 13 NDT INSPECTION SHOULD BE ACCOMPLISHED TO DETERMINE THE EXTENT OF DAMAGE OR A SRM CUTOUT REPAIR ACCOMPLISHED.' 2) THE B737-700, 300, 500, AND 200 ARE VERY CLR THAT AN NDT CONDUCTIVITY INSPECTION MUST BE ACCOMPLISHED TO DETERMINE THE EXTENT OF DAMAGE REF B737-700 SRM 53-00-01-2 REPAIR 13, PARAGRAPH 4.A.(1)(A), B737-300/500 SRM 53-00-01-3 FIGURE 219, PARAGRAPH 1. THE DYE PENETRATE INSPECTION IS NOT AN ALTERNATIVE TO A CONDUCTIVITY TEST THAT DETERMINES A POSSIBLE CHANGE IN HEAT TREATMENT. THE DYE PENETRATION EXAMINATION USES THE LIQUID TO GO INTO A DEFECT THAT IS OPEN AT THE SURFACE OF THE PART, IE, CRACKS. THE B737-700 SRM 53-00-01-2 REPAIR 13, PARAGRAPH 4B(1)(B)(2) ALLOWS FOR THE DYE PENETRATION, AS AN ALTERNATIVE INSPECTION ON THE OUTER SKIN AFTER DAMAGE REMOVAL NOT TO DETERMINE EXTENT OF DAMAGE AS THE RA IMPLIES. THE B737-300/500 SRM STATES THE SAME REF B737-300/500 SRM 53-00-01-3 FIGURE 219, PARAGRAPH 2(B).

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.