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A DC9-40 was dispatched in non compliance with known sealant debris in the fuel tank after repetitive inspections for a spar repair. Enough debris was noted to require fuel filter replacement after the initial engine run.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 609922 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200402 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | DC-9 40 |
| Flight Phase | ground : maintenance |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | maintenance : lead technician |
| Qualification | technician : airframe technician : powerplant |
| Experience | maintenance lead technician : 1.5 maintenance technician : 19 |
| ASRS Report | 609922 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | oversight : supervisor |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : improper documentation maintenance problem : improper maintenance non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure |
| Independent Detector | other other : person 1 |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | Other |
| Factors | |
| Maintenance | contributing factor : engineering procedure contributing factor : schedule pressure performance deficiency : repair performance deficiency : inspection performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements performance deficiency : testing |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Company Aircraft Maintenance Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Company |
Narrative:
Problem arose as a result of repetitive inspection of wing repairs. Repairs improperly sealed. Discovered during preparation for inspection. A possible corrective action would be to follow maintenance procedure. Perception, judgement, decisions -- my perception is that left hand wing fuel tank of aircraft was contaminated with sealant. Debris from repetitive inspection of spar repairs. In my judgement, there was enough debris visible through lower access to warrant changing fuel filters after initial run. Management decided to utilize monitor only and not change filters after initial run, this represents inaction in my opinion.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A DC9-40 WAS DISPATCHED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH KNOWN SEALANT DEBRIS IN THE FUEL TANK AFTER REPETITIVE INSPECTIONS FOR A SPAR REPAIR. ENOUGH DEBRIS WAS NOTED TO REQUIRE FUEL FILTER REPLACEMENT AFTER THE INITIAL ENG RUN.
Narrative: PROB AROSE AS A RESULT OF REPETITIVE INSPECTION OF WING REPAIRS. REPAIRS IMPROPERLY SEALED. DISCOVERED DURING PREPARATION FOR INSPECTION. A POSSIBLE CORRECTIVE ACTION WOULD BE TO FOLLOW MAINT PROC. PERCEPTION, JUDGEMENT, DECISIONS -- MY PERCEPTION IS THAT L HAND WING FUEL TANK OF ACFT WAS CONTAMINATED WITH SEALANT. DEBRIS FROM REPETITIVE INSPECTION OF SPAR REPAIRS. IN MY JUDGEMENT, THERE WAS ENOUGH DEBRIS VISIBLE THROUGH LOWER ACCESS TO WARRANT CHANGING FUEL FILTERS AFTER INITIAL RUN. MGMNT DECIDED TO UTILIZE MONITOR ONLY AND NOT CHANGE FILTERS AFTER INITIAL RUN, THIS REPRESENTS INACTION IN MY OPINION.
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.