Narrative:

During a brake change on 01/sat/02, I noticed that the upper attach nut for the brake (there are three total) was very loose! The other two nuts were torqued correctly to the specified 185 ft pounds. I thought that this was interesting since in order to tighten this nut, you would need a special adapter for the torque wrench that is called out for in MM 32-42-27! As far as I know the airline has only one in the system! An alternative adapter can be used that will work, but I have been noticing several A-319-320 aircraft coming in with a least one of the brakes with the upper attach nut loose. I found one A320 with 3 brakes with the upper nut loose! I brought this up with local management and they sent out meters too tooling to have adapters that will work bought or made to distribute to other stations. But I have not heard anything else on the matter! In the mean time I am still finding these nuts loose and at least some with '0' torque!! I only look at the ones that I work on, but we get 2 to 4 airbuses at night and I can guarantee at least one aircraft will have the nut loose! One of the supervisors e-mailed someone about the tool, but I could not get an answer about it! Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated frequent requests for the adapter tool has gone unanswered for several months and the loose brake fasteners reported are found normally when the reporter replaces a brake. The reporter said the fasteners are checked only on an airplane assigned to the reporter for a brake change to avoid upsetting management.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN AIRBUS 320 TECHNICIAN RPTS FINDING A RECURRENT PROB WITH THE BRAKE FLANGE NUT AT THE 12 O'CLOCK POSITION WITH INADEQUATE OR NO TORQUE DUE TO LACK OF THE REQUIRED SPECIAL TOOL.

Narrative: DURING A BRAKE CHANGE ON 01/SAT/02, I NOTICED THAT THE UPPER ATTACH NUT FOR THE BRAKE (THERE ARE THREE TOTAL) WAS VERY LOOSE! THE OTHER TWO NUTS WERE TORQUED CORRECTLY TO THE SPECIFIED 185 FT LBS. I THOUGHT THAT THIS WAS INTERESTING SINCE IN ORDER TO TIGHTEN THIS NUT, YOU WOULD NEED A SPECIAL ADAPTER FOR THE TORQUE WRENCH THAT IS CALLED OUT FOR IN MM 32-42-27! AS FAR AS I KNOW THE AIRLINE HAS ONLY ONE IN THE SYSTEM! AN ALTERNATIVE ADAPTER CAN BE USED THAT WILL WORK, BUT I HAVE BEEN NOTICING SEVERAL A-319-320 ACFT COMING IN WITH A LEAST ONE OF THE BRAKES WITH THE UPPER ATTACH NUT LOOSE. I FOUND ONE A320 WITH 3 BRAKES WITH THE UPPER NUT LOOSE! I BROUGHT THIS UP WITH LCL MANAGEMENT AND THEY SENT OUT METERS TOO TOOLING TO HAVE ADAPTERS THAT WILL WORK BOUGHT OR MADE TO DISTRIBUTE TO OTHER STATIONS. BUT I HAVE NOT HEARD ANYTHING ELSE ON THE MATTER! IN THE MEAN TIME I AM STILL FINDING THESE NUTS LOOSE AND AT LEAST SOME WITH '0' TORQUE!! I ONLY LOOK AT THE ONES THAT I WORK ON, BUT WE GET 2 TO 4 AIRBUSES AT NIGHT AND I CAN GUARANTEE AT LEAST ONE ACFT WILL HAVE THE NUT LOOSE! ONE OF THE SUPVRS E-MAILED SOMEONE ABOUT THE TOOL, BUT I COULD NOT GET AN ANSWER ABOUT IT! CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED FREQUENT REQUESTS FOR THE ADAPTER TOOL HAS GONE UNANSWERED FOR SEVERAL MONTHS AND THE LOOSE BRAKE FASTENERS RPTED ARE FOUND NORMALLY WHEN THE RPTR REPLACES A BRAKE. THE RPTR SAID THE FASTENERS ARE CHECKED ONLY ON AN AIRPLANE ASSIGNED TO THE RPTR FOR A BRAKE CHANGE TO AVOID UPSETTING MANAGEMENT.

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.