Narrative:

Aircraft X was in the hangar for maintenance to be accomplished. I was assigned to accomplish the power control actuator rod end inspection as called out. (This was just one item out of several to be accomplished by myself that night.) part C of the company produced engineering order was to be accomplished. The panels on the aircraft were opened for access of the aileron power control actuators. Power control actuator part numbers were visible and notated. At this time; a visual inspection was performed of the l-hand and r-hand power control actuators and no defects were found. According to engineering order part C; the attached service bulletin part 1 was to be followed. The provided service bulletin showed the effective air frame manufacturer serial numbers and power control actuator effective part numbers. I determined that the aircraft serial number and power control actuator part number was not applicable for the inspection to be accomplished due to the fact the manufacturer's serial number and part number did not appear on part 1 of the service bulletin. The power control actuator access panels were installed per aircraft maintenance manual. Engineering order word card was then filled out with 'north/a' and my employee number and signature in the provided blocks. As with practice of signing off items with an 'north/a' a reason was stated: manufacturer's serial number and part number not applicable with those written in as well. (This is an approximation of what was written on the engineering order card. Exact photocopy of engineering order was not available to me at the time of this statement writing.) paperwork was completed and new jobs started. At notification of apparent error regarding previously stated event; I was told that it is company policy not to 'north/a' any items pertaining to airworthiness directives. This to my knowledge was broadcast to the floor maintenance personnel by 'read and sign' type of distribution. However; during my time at this company; that particular 'read and sign' had already been removed.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN EMB145 DURING ACCOMPLISHMENT OF AN AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE ON AILERON PWR UNITS A SIGNOFF BLOCK WAS INITIALED 'NOT APPLICABLE.'

Narrative: ACFT X WAS IN THE HANGAR FOR MAINT TO BE ACCOMPLISHED. I WAS ASSIGNED TO ACCOMPLISH THE PWR CTL ACTUATOR ROD END INSPECTION AS CALLED OUT. (THIS WAS JUST ONE ITEM OUT OF SEVERAL TO BE ACCOMPLISHED BY MYSELF THAT NIGHT.) PART C OF THE COMPANY PRODUCED ENGINEERING ORDER WAS TO BE ACCOMPLISHED. THE PANELS ON THE ACFT WERE OPENED FOR ACCESS OF THE AILERON PWR CTL ACTUATORS. PWR CTL ACTUATOR PART NUMBERS WERE VISIBLE AND NOTATED. AT THIS TIME; A VISUAL INSPECTION WAS PERFORMED OF THE L-HAND AND R-HAND PWR CTL ACTUATORS AND NO DEFECTS WERE FOUND. ACCORDING TO ENGINEERING ORDER PART C; THE ATTACHED SVC BULLETIN PART 1 WAS TO BE FOLLOWED. THE PROVIDED SVC BULLETIN SHOWED THE EFFECTIVE AIR FRAME MANUFACTURER SERIAL NUMBERS AND PWR CTL ACTUATOR EFFECTIVE PART NUMBERS. I DETERMINED THAT THE ACFT SERIAL NUMBER AND PWR CTL ACTUATOR PART NUMBER WAS NOT APPLICABLE FOR THE INSPECTION TO BE ACCOMPLISHED DUE TO THE FACT THE MANUFACTURER'S SERIAL NUMBER AND PART NUMBER DID NOT APPEAR ON PART 1 OF THE SVC BULLETIN. THE PWR CTL ACTUATOR ACCESS PANELS WERE INSTALLED PER ACFT MAINT MANUAL. ENGINEERING ORDER WORD CARD WAS THEN FILLED OUT WITH 'N/A' AND MY EMPLOYEE NUMBER AND SIGNATURE IN THE PROVIDED BLOCKS. AS WITH PRACTICE OF SIGNING OFF ITEMS WITH AN 'N/A' A REASON WAS STATED: MANUFACTURER'S SERIAL NUMBER AND PART NUMBER NOT APPLICABLE WITH THOSE WRITTEN IN AS WELL. (THIS IS AN APPROXIMATION OF WHAT WAS WRITTEN ON THE ENGINEERING ORDER CARD. EXACT PHOTOCOPY OF ENGINEERING ORDER WAS NOT AVAILABLE TO ME AT THE TIME OF THIS STATEMENT WRITING.) PAPERWORK WAS COMPLETED AND NEW JOBS STARTED. AT NOTIFICATION OF APPARENT ERROR REGARDING PREVIOUSLY STATED EVENT; I WAS TOLD THAT IT IS COMPANY POLICY NOT TO 'N/A' ANY ITEMS PERTAINING TO AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES. THIS TO MY KNOWLEDGE WAS BROADCAST TO THE FLOOR MAINT PERSONNEL BY 'READ AND SIGN' TYPE OF DISTRIBUTION. HOWEVER; DURING MY TIME AT THIS COMPANY; THAT PARTICULAR 'READ AND SIGN' HAD ALREADY BEEN REMOVED.

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.