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A B737-400 was discovered on the gate with a fuel leak from an engine fuel filter drain cap. Filter drain plug was overtorqued; cracking the plug.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 679380 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200511 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737-400 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | ground : maintenance |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | maintenance : technician |
| Qualification | technician : airframe technician : powerplant |
| ASRS Report | 679380 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | oversight : supervisor |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : improper maintenance non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | other |
| Factors | |
| Maintenance | performance deficiency : installation performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements performance deficiency : scheduled maintenance |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Maintenance Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Maintenance Human Performance |
Narrative:
Overtorqued. The correct torque at 45-55 pound inches for drain plug of fuel filter. Drain plug was overtorqued approximately due to no torque wrench was used; causing the stress cracked around the base of the head. After several flts; the head of drain plug fell off. Drain plugs are generally of cast aluminum; and tend to shear easily. The task card was not followed for the torque of the drain plug.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A B737-400 WAS DISCOVERED ON THE GATE WITH A FUEL LEAK FROM AN ENG FUEL FILTER DRAIN CAP. FILTER DRAIN PLUG WAS OVERTORQUED; CRACKING THE PLUG.
Narrative: OVERTORQUED. THE CORRECT TORQUE AT 45-55 LB INCHES FOR DRAIN PLUG OF FUEL FILTER. DRAIN PLUG WAS OVERTORQUED APPROX DUE TO NO TORQUE WRENCH WAS USED; CAUSING THE STRESS CRACKED AROUND THE BASE OF THE HEAD. AFTER SEVERAL FLTS; THE HEAD OF DRAIN PLUG FELL OFF. DRAIN PLUGS ARE GENERALLY OF CAST ALUMINUM; AND TEND TO SHEAR EASILY. THE TASK CARD WAS NOT FOLLOWED FOR THE TORQUE OF THE DRAIN PLUG.
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.