A DC9 was dispatched in non compliance with the left engine oil filler cap not installed.

Attributes
ACN	565372
Time
Date	200211
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : maintenance
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	maintenance : technician
Qualification	technician : airframe technician : powerplant
ASRS Report	565372
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : improper maintenance maintenance problem : improper documentation non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other other
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : schedule pressure performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements performance deficiency : installation performance deficiency : scheduled maintenance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Environmental Factor Maintenance Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

After removing and replacing the oil filters on air carrier X aircraft X, I'm required to have another mechanic run both engines to perform a leak check on the filter assemblies. After performing the leak check, the left engine required servicing, at which time I noticed a ramp employee waiting for access to service the lavatories. I svced the oil to full and then moved the lift truck and closed the cowling and moved to the next engine. After completing the work on the right engine and noticing that the ramp employee was finished servicing the lavatories, I returned to latch the cowling closed while leaving the oil cap removed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DC9 WAS DISPATCHED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH THE L ENG OIL FILLER CAP NOT INSTALLED.

Narrative: AFTER REMOVING AND REPLACING THE OIL FILTERS ON ACR X ACFT X, I'M REQUIRED TO HAVE ANOTHER MECH RUN BOTH ENGS TO PERFORM A LEAK CHK ON THE FILTER ASSEMBLIES. AFTER PERFORMING THE LEAK CHK, THE L ENG REQUIRED SVCING, AT WHICH TIME I NOTICED A RAMP EMPLOYEE WAITING FOR ACCESS TO SVC THE LAVATORIES. I SVCED THE OIL TO FULL AND THEN MOVED THE LIFT TRUCK AND CLOSED THE COWLING AND MOVED TO THE NEXT ENG. AFTER COMPLETING THE WORK ON THE R ENG AND NOTICING THAT THE RAMP EMPLOYEE WAS FINISHED SVCING THE LAVATORIES, I RETURNED TO LATCH THE COWLING CLOSED WHILE LEAVING THE OIL CAP REMOVED.

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.