Narrative:

I was called out to the aircraft to repair the mid cargo pit light switch guard. It exists so that if the lights are left on, and the door is closed, the door will hit the switch guard and turn off the lights. There should be sufficient clearance with the lights off and the switch guard down so that the door could be opened without contacting the guard. In this case, however, there was not, and when the door is opened it contacted the switch guard, ripping it apart. I wrote up the switch guard being broken and short signed that I replaced it, adding the information that there was something wrong with the door that would rip up the new switch guard I installed if the problem was not repaired. I was informed today that I should have instead signed off the switch guard replacement and made a new log page stating the discrepancy with the door. I was not aware of the requirement to do this, and now that I have been I will be sure to do it correctly in the future.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD80 CARGO PIT LIGHT DOOR SWITCH GUARD WAS REPLACED FOR DAMAGE. ON TEST, NEW SWITCH GUARD DAMAGED. TECHNICIAN SUSPECTS DOOR PROB. MAINT MANUAL CHKED AND FOUND SWITCH GUARD MUST BE TRIMMED.

Narrative: I WAS CALLED OUT TO THE ACFT TO REPAIR THE MID CARGO PIT LIGHT SWITCH GUARD. IT EXISTS SO THAT IF THE LIGHTS ARE LEFT ON, AND THE DOOR IS CLOSED, THE DOOR WILL HIT THE SWITCH GUARD AND TURN OFF THE LIGHTS. THERE SHOULD BE SUFFICIENT CLRNC WITH THE LIGHTS OFF AND THE SWITCH GUARD DOWN SO THAT THE DOOR COULD BE OPENED WITHOUT CONTACTING THE GUARD. IN THIS CASE, HOWEVER, THERE WAS NOT, AND WHEN THE DOOR IS OPENED IT CONTACTED THE SWITCH GUARD, RIPPING IT APART. I WROTE UP THE SWITCH GUARD BEING BROKEN AND SHORT SIGNED THAT I REPLACED IT, ADDING THE INFO THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE DOOR THAT WOULD RIP UP THE NEW SWITCH GUARD I INSTALLED IF THE PROB WAS NOT REPAIRED. I WAS INFORMED TODAY THAT I SHOULD HAVE INSTEAD SIGNED OFF THE SWITCH GUARD REPLACEMENT AND MADE A NEW LOG PAGE STATING THE DISCREPANCY WITH THE DOOR. I WAS NOT AWARE OF THE REQUIREMENT TO DO THIS, AND NOW THAT I HAVE BEEN I WILL BE SURE TO DO IT CORRECTLY IN THE FUTURE.

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.