Narrative:

After review of the aircraft logbook and maintenance deferral pages; I found a deferral stating; 'vertical stabilizer attachment bolt rotated 30 degrees and service continued under an engineering order. Because this is an obvious area of concern for any aircraft but especially an airbus A300-600; I asked the gateway mechanic his opinion of the deferral. He stated he had noticed and was curious about the deferral but had been busy all day on other maintenance items and had not looked into it. I asked him for information on the problem and the engineering order. I was provided with the following: on nov/mon/05 the right aft vertical stabilizer attach fitting tapered bolt was found to have rotated 30 degrees. Further action found that this bolt; which was supposed to have a torque value between 222-259 pound-ft; was less than 20 pound-ft. It appears that it was assumed the bolt had rotated because of its very loose condition. The bolt was tightened and repair was deferred until oct/06. No repetitive inspection was called for in the logbook. To the best of my ability to ascertain; the engineering order was properly issued and complied with and the deferral was properly entered in the logbook. I felt that had complied with my duty to ensure the technical airworthy condition of the aircraft and accepted the aircraft for flight. I had then and still now have concerns about this scenario.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN A300 CAPT EXPRESSES CONCERN ABOUT A DEFERRED ITEM REGARDING A VERT STABILIZER ATTACH BOLT ROTATED 30 DEGS AND CONTINUED IN SVC PER AN ENGINEERING ORDER. REQUESTED FURTHER DETAILS PRIOR TO DEP.

Narrative: AFTER REVIEW OF THE ACFT LOGBOOK AND MAINT DEFERRAL PAGES; I FOUND A DEFERRAL STATING; 'VERT STABILIZER ATTACHMENT BOLT ROTATED 30 DEGS AND SVC CONTINUED UNDER AN ENGINEERING ORDER. BECAUSE THIS IS AN OBVIOUS AREA OF CONCERN FOR ANY ACFT BUT ESPECIALLY AN AIRBUS A300-600; I ASKED THE GATEWAY MECH HIS OPINION OF THE DEFERRAL. HE STATED HE HAD NOTICED AND WAS CURIOUS ABOUT THE DEFERRAL BUT HAD BEEN BUSY ALL DAY ON OTHER MAINT ITEMS AND HAD NOT LOOKED INTO IT. I ASKED HIM FOR INFO ON THE PROB AND THE ENGINEERING ORDER. I WAS PROVIDED WITH THE FOLLOWING: ON NOV/MON/05 THE R AFT VERT STABILIZER ATTACH FITTING TAPERED BOLT WAS FOUND TO HAVE ROTATED 30 DEGS. FURTHER ACTION FOUND THAT THIS BOLT; WHICH WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE A TORQUE VALUE BTWN 222-259 LB-FT; WAS LESS THAN 20 LB-FT. IT APPEARS THAT IT WAS ASSUMED THE BOLT HAD ROTATED BECAUSE OF ITS VERY LOOSE CONDITION. THE BOLT WAS TIGHTENED AND REPAIR WAS DEFERRED UNTIL OCT/06. NO REPETITIVE INSPECTION WAS CALLED FOR IN THE LOGBOOK. TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY TO ASCERTAIN; THE ENGINEERING ORDER WAS PROPERLY ISSUED AND COMPLIED WITH AND THE DEFERRAL WAS PROPERLY ENTERED IN THE LOGBOOK. I FELT THAT HAD COMPLIED WITH MY DUTY TO ENSURE THE TECHNICAL AIRWORTHY CONDITION OF THE ACFT AND ACCEPTED THE ACFT FOR FLT. I HAD THEN AND STILL NOW HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT THIS SCENARIO.

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.