Narrative:

While performing a positive pressure test on the fuel cells, there became an over pressure situation which caused a rupture of portions of the right wing and stress damage to the left wing. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the positive pressure test had been accomplished before without the use of the required manometer to indicate the tank positive pressure. The reporter said the right tank pressure gauge did not appear to be working properly and the left wing gauge was installed on the tee fitting but never exceeded 2 pounds pressure. The reporter stated the left wing reading at 2 pounds was venturi pressure due to its input pressure on the tee fitting. The reporter said the left wing was drooping and the right wing was bowed. Callback conversation with reporter from acn 555294 revealed the following information: the reporter stated the procedure had been accomplished before without the required manometer and no pressure relief system. The reporter said the damage will run into the millions and the manufacturer was out to inspect the damage and it is not known if the airplane will be repaired. The reporter stated the FAA decided a manual procedure error was made but the job procedure was ok. The reporter said the pressure far exceeded 30 psi.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD80 DURING A FUEL TANK POSITIVE PRESSURE TEST INCURRED MAJOR DAMAGE TO THE L AND R UPPER AND LOWER WING SKINS WHEN SEPARATED FROM RIBS.

Narrative: WHILE PERFORMING A POSITIVE PRESSURE TEST ON THE FUEL CELLS, THERE BECAME AN OVER PRESSURE SIT WHICH CAUSED A RUPTURE OF PORTIONS OF THE R WING AND STRESS DAMAGE TO THE L WING. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE POSITIVE PRESSURE TEST HAD BEEN ACCOMPLISHED BEFORE WITHOUT THE USE OF THE REQUIRED MANOMETER TO INDICATE THE TANK POSITIVE PRESSURE. THE RPTR SAID THE R TANK PRESSURE GAUGE DID NOT APPEAR TO BE WORKING PROPERLY AND THE L WING GAUGE WAS INSTALLED ON THE TEE FITTING BUT NEVER EXCEEDED 2 LBS PRESSURE. THE RPTR STATED THE L WING READING AT 2 LBS WAS VENTURI PRESSURE DUE TO ITS INPUT PRESSURE ON THE TEE FITTING. THE RPTR SAID THE L WING WAS DROOPING AND THE R WING WAS BOWED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR FROM ACN 555294 REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE PROC HAD BEEN ACCOMPLISHED BEFORE WITHOUT THE REQUIRED MANOMETER AND NO PRESSURE RELIEF SYS. THE RPTR SAID THE DAMAGE WILL RUN INTO THE MILLIONS AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS OUT TO INSPECT THE DAMAGE AND IT IS NOT KNOWN IF THE AIRPLANE WILL BE REPAIRED. THE RPTR STATED THE FAA DECIDED A MANUAL PROC ERROR WAS MADE BUT THE JOB PROC WAS OK. THE RPTR SAID THE PRESSURE FAR EXCEEDED 30 PSI.

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.