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An airbus 320 radome was discovered by an FAA inspector to have an undocumented mylar tape repair. Repair was not checked by 'a' check technicians.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 621642 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200405 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| 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 | Airbus Industrie Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | ground : preflight ground : maintenance |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | maintenance : technician |
| Qualification | technician : airframe technician : powerplant |
| Experience | maintenance technician : 9 |
| ASRS Report | 621642 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | other personnel other |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : improper maintenance maintenance problem : improper documentation non adherence : company policies non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure |
| Independent Detector | other other : 2 |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | other other |
| Factors | |
| Maintenance | contributing factor : schedule pressure performance deficiency : repair performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements performance deficiency : scheduled maintenance performance deficiency : logbook entry performance deficiency : inspection |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Chart Or Publication Maintenance Human Performance Aircraft |
| Primary Problem | Maintenance Human Performance |
Narrative:
I completed a walkaround of aircraft in conjunction with an 'a' check. I saw a piece of mylar tape (approximately 8 inches by 8 inches) affixed to the radome. Since there were 10-12 people working on the aircraft, and I wasn't given the non routine card to check the tape, I thought that the lead had assigned it to another mechanic. After completing the walkaround, I signed it off. At the gate later, an FAA employee questioned the tape. It turns out that someone at another station or repair facility applied the tape and made no computer entry, so no non routine work orders would have ever been forthcoming. Had it not been an 'a' check, had I worked the aircraft alone, I would have investigated, and none of this would have happened.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN AIRBUS 320 RADOME WAS DISCOVERED BY AN FAA INSPECTOR TO HAVE AN UNDOCUMENTED MYLAR TAPE REPAIR. REPAIR WAS NOT CHKED BY 'A' CHK TECHNICIANS.
Narrative: I COMPLETED A WALKAROUND OF ACFT IN CONJUNCTION WITH AN 'A' CHK. I SAW A PIECE OF MYLAR TAPE (APPROX 8 INCHES BY 8 INCHES) AFFIXED TO THE RADOME. SINCE THERE WERE 10-12 PEOPLE WORKING ON THE ACFT, AND I WASN'T GIVEN THE NON ROUTINE CARD TO CHK THE TAPE, I THOUGHT THAT THE LEAD HAD ASSIGNED IT TO ANOTHER MECH. AFTER COMPLETING THE WALKAROUND, I SIGNED IT OFF. AT THE GATE LATER, AN FAA EMPLOYEE QUESTIONED THE TAPE. IT TURNS OUT THAT SOMEONE AT ANOTHER STATION OR REPAIR FACILITY APPLIED THE TAPE AND MADE NO COMPUTER ENTRY, SO NO NON ROUTINE WORK ORDERS WOULD HAVE EVER BEEN FORTHCOMING. HAD IT NOT BEEN AN 'A' CHK, HAD I WORKED THE ACFT ALONE, I WOULD HAVE INVESTIGATED, AND NONE OF THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED.
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.