An airbus 320 flap drive strut rod end was not connected properly causing an air return.

Attributes
ACN	667150
Time
Date	200507
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : maintenance
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	maintenance : technician
Qualification	technician : airframe technician : powerplant
Experience	maintenance technician : 29
ASRS Report	667150
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	maintenance : lead technician
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : improper documentation maintenance problem : improper maintenance non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : ecam - flt ctl warning other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : manuals performance deficiency : installation performance deficiency : inspection performance deficiency : logbook entry performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements performance deficiency : scheduled maintenance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Chart Or Publication Aircraft Maintenance Human Performance Company
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

The only explanation I have is that it was an oversight/mistake on my part. It appears that somehow when I installed the bolt and safetied it; I did not get the bolt through the rod end. I did run flaps up and down and no faults were noted and system worked normal. Contributing factors that possibly could have helped prevent this; are that in the past; 2 men have always been assigned to accomplish this task; but recently due to lack of manpwr only one has been assigned. Since the incident; my lead technician has initiated a form to have inspection do a final buy-back. As of now; they only inspect the strut. As per my lead technician; he recommended this to our manager a couple of months ago due to other incidents. With inspection buy-back this would prevent this from happening in the future. I personally believe that any flight control should be even an rii item.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN AIRBUS 320 FLAP DRIVE STRUT ROD END WAS NOT CONNECTED PROPERLY CAUSING AN AIR RETURN.

Narrative: THE ONLY EXPLANATION I HAVE IS THAT IT WAS AN OVERSIGHT/MISTAKE ON MY PART. IT APPEARS THAT SOMEHOW WHEN I INSTALLED THE BOLT AND SAFETIED IT; I DID NOT GET THE BOLT THROUGH THE ROD END. I DID RUN FLAPS UP AND DOWN AND NO FAULTS WERE NOTED AND SYS WORKED NORMAL. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS THAT POSSIBLY COULD HAVE HELPED PREVENT THIS; ARE THAT IN THE PAST; 2 MEN HAVE ALWAYS BEEN ASSIGNED TO ACCOMPLISH THIS TASK; BUT RECENTLY DUE TO LACK OF MANPWR ONLY ONE HAS BEEN ASSIGNED. SINCE THE INCIDENT; MY LEAD TECHNICIAN HAS INITIATED A FORM TO HAVE INSPECTION DO A FINAL BUY-BACK. AS OF NOW; THEY ONLY INSPECT THE STRUT. AS PER MY LEAD TECHNICIAN; HE RECOMMENDED THIS TO OUR MGR A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO DUE TO OTHER INCIDENTS. WITH INSPECTION BUY-BACK THIS WOULD PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING IN THE FUTURE. I PERSONALLY BELIEVE THAT ANY FLT CTL SHOULD BE EVEN AN RII ITEM.

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.