Narrative:

During check aircraft body fairings were removed. Fairing with waste water drain mast has wires for mast heater that were cut to remove panel. Work card has no provisions for removing or reinstalling wires and a non routine was not written. Four mechanics were working together to remove all body fairings. It was generally understood that cutting the wires was the only way to remove them and the radio and electrical technicians working the airplane had a chkout for all the heat elements. Our crew removed the panel and cut the wire but did not install the panel. I believe the airplane flew 14 legs before the cut wires were discovered on walkaround. I worked later than my co-workers so I signed the panel removal box even though I didn't cut the wires. The radio and electrical technicians don't have a heated element check like it was thought and discussed by me and my co-workers. We were told by a radio and electrical technician that they would connect the wires when the panel went on.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B757-200 WAS RELEASED FOR SVC WITH ALL DRAIN MAST HEATERS INOP DUE TO JOB CARD DEFICIENCY. HAD NO DIRECTIVE TO CONNECT WIRING.

Narrative: DURING CHK ACFT BODY FAIRINGS WERE REMOVED. FAIRING WITH WASTE WATER DRAIN MAST HAS WIRES FOR MAST HEATER THAT WERE CUT TO REMOVE PANEL. WORK CARD HAS NO PROVISIONS FOR REMOVING OR REINSTALLING WIRES AND A NON ROUTINE WAS NOT WRITTEN. FOUR MECHS WERE WORKING TOGETHER TO REMOVE ALL BODY FAIRINGS. IT WAS GENERALLY UNDERSTOOD THAT CUTTING THE WIRES WAS THE ONLY WAY TO REMOVE THEM AND THE RADIO AND ELECTRICAL TECHNICIANS WORKING THE AIRPLANE HAD A CHKOUT FOR ALL THE HEAT ELEMENTS. OUR CREW REMOVED THE PANEL AND CUT THE WIRE BUT DID NOT INSTALL THE PANEL. I BELIEVE THE AIRPLANE FLEW 14 LEGS BEFORE THE CUT WIRES WERE DISCOVERED ON WALKAROUND. I WORKED LATER THAN MY CO-WORKERS SO I SIGNED THE PANEL REMOVAL BOX EVEN THOUGH I DIDN'T CUT THE WIRES. THE RADIO AND ELECTRICAL TECHNICIANS DON'T HAVE A HEATED ELEMENT CHK LIKE IT WAS THOUGHT AND DISCUSSED BY ME AND MY CO-WORKERS. WE WERE TOLD BY A RADIO AND ELECTRICAL TECHNICIAN THAT THEY WOULD CONNECT THE WIRES WHEN THE PANEL WENT ON.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.