Narrative:

I was assigned to do task engineering order X on aircraft X which is removal of some bonding straps. It was my first time performing the job and it was towards the end of my shift. In the middle of this job, I had dropped a swivel socket into the belly of the aircraft and another mechanic helped me remove some additional panels to find the socket. I found the socket and continued with the job. After I had completed the removal of the bonding straps, I was asked to help with an APU change because it was the first to go out. When I returned to my task to put the panels on, I installed 191 1L-lr-el-fr which are on the outside of the in plain sight, however, by this time more than 1 hour later I had forgotten about panel 156 dz at this time. Which was removed for the socket. So I completed the paperwork as the plane was being pulled out. I then went to the break room because the work had been completed for the night. We played a game of cards. Just as we completed the game, I remembered that I had not resecured the panel 156 dz. I then told my lead assistant manager and the hangar manager what had happened. At this time the plane was about 20 mins out on its way to ZZZ1. I thought we should have brought it back but instead we let it go to ZZZ1 where they had called ahead to another mechanic to meet the plane. They told me there was nothing to worry about that the panel was attached by a steel braided line in the gear well and that it could not go anywhere.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN EMBRAER 145 WAS DISPATCHED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH AN ACCESS PANEL IN THE MAIN GEAR WELL NOT SECURED AFTER OPENING WITH NO DOCUMENTATION.

Narrative: I WAS ASSIGNED TO DO TASK ENGINEERING ORDER X ON ACFT X WHICH IS REMOVAL OF SOME BONDING STRAPS. IT WAS MY FIRST TIME PERFORMING THE JOB AND IT WAS TOWARDS THE END OF MY SHIFT. IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS JOB, I HAD DROPPED A SWIVEL SOCKET INTO THE BELLY OF THE ACFT AND ANOTHER MECH HELPED ME REMOVE SOME ADDITIONAL PANELS TO FIND THE SOCKET. I FOUND THE SOCKET AND CONTINUED WITH THE JOB. AFTER I HAD COMPLETED THE REMOVAL OF THE BONDING STRAPS, I WAS ASKED TO HELP WITH AN APU CHANGE BECAUSE IT WAS THE FIRST TO GO OUT. WHEN I RETURNED TO MY TASK TO PUT THE PANELS ON, I INSTALLED 191 1L-LR-EL-FR WHICH ARE ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE IN PLAIN SIGHT, HOWEVER, BY THIS TIME MORE THAN 1 HR LATER I HAD FORGOTTEN ABOUT PANEL 156 DZ AT THIS TIME. WHICH WAS REMOVED FOR THE SOCKET. SO I COMPLETED THE PAPERWORK AS THE PLANE WAS BEING PULLED OUT. I THEN WENT TO THE BREAK ROOM BECAUSE THE WORK HAD BEEN COMPLETED FOR THE NIGHT. WE PLAYED A GAME OF CARDS. JUST AS WE COMPLETED THE GAME, I REMEMBERED THAT I HAD NOT RESECURED THE PANEL 156 DZ. I THEN TOLD MY LEAD ASSISTANT MGR AND THE HANGAR MGR WHAT HAD HAPPENED. AT THIS TIME THE PLANE WAS ABOUT 20 MINS OUT ON ITS WAY TO ZZZ1. I THOUGHT WE SHOULD HAVE BROUGHT IT BACK BUT INSTEAD WE LET IT GO TO ZZZ1 WHERE THEY HAD CALLED AHEAD TO ANOTHER MECH TO MEET THE PLANE. THEY TOLD ME THERE WAS NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT THAT THE PANEL WAS ATTACHED BY A STEEL BRAIDED LINE IN THE GEAR WELL AND THAT IT COULD NOT GO ANYWHERE.

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.