Narrative:

Accomplishing of FAA airworthiness directive mcm X. Thread cleaning tool not available. On apr/sun/05; I made a judgement call to clean the jackscrew threads and valleys on aircraft X with rags. I made this decision because the proper thread cleaning tool as per card was not available. I realize that I should have brought this to the attention of my supervisor. On apr/sun/05 I completed work card X and found a fine residue of grease existed on the jackscrew threads and reported it as ok per card. I performed a thorough inspection of the horizontal stabilizer actuator jackscrew installation. This included the upper and lower screw and nut rotational stops for damage. I inspected for missing or broken safety wire on the torque tube nut at lower end of the screw. I also inspected for corrosion or damage of the screw threads. I reported that the findings were ok. I inspected for metal fragments/shavings and reported findings as 'no.' I lubricated the horizontal stabilizer actuator assembly. I moved the horizontal stabilizer to the full aircraft nose down (and) position. I applied grease to the acme nut lube fitting until only new grease showed at the top of the nut. I cleaned the exposed acme screw and valleys with rags. (This is where the proper thread cleaning tool should have been used.) I moved the horizontal stabilizer the full aircraft nose up (anu) position. I then cleaned the exposed acme screw with clean; dry rags to remove as much grease as possible. (This is where the proper thread cleaning tool should have been used.) I lubricated the horizontal stabilizer actuator assembly by putting a liberal coat of grease around the exposed acme screw and valleys. I moved the horizontal stabilizer to the full aircraft nose down (and) position. I lubricated all of the remaining lube fittings as per card and cycled to full up and down position 1 time. I removed the excess grease from the upper and lower stops on the jackscrew with clean; dry rags. I performed test of horizontal shut off as controls as per card and tested ok. I have been involved with the 'B' check cards X and Y since they were required at 'B' check. This is the first time I worked the revision date of apr/wed/05 for X card. To the best of my knowledge and experience; I believe I did a thorough and complete cleaning of the acme threads and valleys with the clean; dry rags. Since I did not use the proper took required; I felt an obligation to myself as an a&P and to the safety of the aircraft to report this. Action taken: thorough and complete cleaning of threads and valleys with clean; dry rags. Contributing factors: grease removal tool not available. The previous way of cleaning jackscrew was with rags; before the apr/wed/05 revision.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TECHNICIAN WORKING ON AN MD80 INSPECTION AND LUBRICATION OF THE HORIZ STABILIZER JACKSCREW FAILED TO USE THE REQUIRED ACME THREAD CLEANING TOOL.

Narrative: ACCOMPLISHING OF FAA AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE MCM X. THREAD CLEANING TOOL NOT AVAILABLE. ON APR/SUN/05; I MADE A JUDGEMENT CALL TO CLEAN THE JACKSCREW THREADS AND VALLEYS ON ACFT X WITH RAGS. I MADE THIS DECISION BECAUSE THE PROPER THREAD CLEANING TOOL AS PER CARD WAS NOT AVAILABLE. I REALIZE THAT I SHOULD HAVE BROUGHT THIS TO THE ATTN OF MY SUPVR. ON APR/SUN/05 I COMPLETED WORK CARD X AND FOUND A FINE RESIDUE OF GREASE EXISTED ON THE JACKSCREW THREADS AND RPTED IT AS OK PER CARD. I PERFORMED A THOROUGH INSPECTION OF THE HORIZ STABILIZER ACTUATOR JACKSCREW INSTALLATION. THIS INCLUDED THE UPPER AND LOWER SCREW AND NUT ROTATIONAL STOPS FOR DAMAGE. I INSPECTED FOR MISSING OR BROKEN SAFETY WIRE ON THE TORQUE TUBE NUT AT LOWER END OF THE SCREW. I ALSO INSPECTED FOR CORROSION OR DAMAGE OF THE SCREW THREADS. I RPTED THAT THE FINDINGS WERE OK. I INSPECTED FOR METAL FRAGMENTS/SHAVINGS AND RPTED FINDINGS AS 'NO.' I LUBRICATED THE HORIZ STABILIZER ACTUATOR ASSEMBLY. I MOVED THE HORIZ STABILIZER TO THE FULL ACFT NOSE DOWN (AND) POS. I APPLIED GREASE TO THE ACME NUT LUBE FITTING UNTIL ONLY NEW GREASE SHOWED AT THE TOP OF THE NUT. I CLEANED THE EXPOSED ACME SCREW AND VALLEYS WITH RAGS. (THIS IS WHERE THE PROPER THREAD CLEANING TOOL SHOULD HAVE BEEN USED.) I MOVED THE HORIZ STABILIZER THE FULL ACFT NOSE UP (ANU) POS. I THEN CLEANED THE EXPOSED ACME SCREW WITH CLEAN; DRY RAGS TO REMOVE AS MUCH GREASE AS POSSIBLE. (THIS IS WHERE THE PROPER THREAD CLEANING TOOL SHOULD HAVE BEEN USED.) I LUBRICATED THE HORIZ STABILIZER ACTUATOR ASSEMBLY BY PUTTING A LIBERAL COAT OF GREASE AROUND THE EXPOSED ACME SCREW AND VALLEYS. I MOVED THE HORIZ STABILIZER TO THE FULL ACFT NOSE DOWN (AND) POS. I LUBRICATED ALL OF THE REMAINING LUBE FITTINGS AS PER CARD AND CYCLED TO FULL UP AND DOWN POS 1 TIME. I REMOVED THE EXCESS GREASE FROM THE UPPER AND LOWER STOPS ON THE JACKSCREW WITH CLEAN; DRY RAGS. I PERFORMED TEST OF HORIZ SHUT OFF AS CTLS AS PER CARD AND TESTED OK. I HAVE BEEN INVOLVED WITH THE 'B' CHK CARDS X AND Y SINCE THEY WERE REQUIRED AT 'B' CHK. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I WORKED THE REVISION DATE OF APR/WED/05 FOR X CARD. TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE; I BELIEVE I DID A THOROUGH AND COMPLETE CLEANING OF THE ACME THREADS AND VALLEYS WITH THE CLEAN; DRY RAGS. SINCE I DID NOT USE THE PROPER TOOK REQUIRED; I FELT AN OBLIGATION TO MYSELF AS AN A&P AND TO THE SAFETY OF THE ACFT TO RPT THIS. ACTION TAKEN: THOROUGH AND COMPLETE CLEANING OF THREADS AND VALLEYS WITH CLEAN; DRY RAGS. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: GREASE REMOVAL TOOL NOT AVAILABLE. THE PREVIOUS WAY OF CLEANING JACKSCREW WAS WITH RAGS; BEFORE THE APR/WED/05 REVISION.

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.