Narrative:

I was assigned a job to remove the life vest box from aircraft. Because the seats mounted above it were removed; also lavatory and galley had to come out. That box was in the way of removing the lavatory and galley. Upon removal of box; I opened the box and there were no life vests in it. I removed the box and tagged it with an identify sticker and put it into the appropriate parts bin for removal of all interior parts. Parts that are removed from the aircraft to facilitate other maintenance are stored and tagged in bins until it is time to reinstall those parts back on the aircraft. Again when I removed the box there were no life vests in it. I assumed the life vests were removed prior to my removal of the life vest box and properly stowed until it was time to put those items in the aircraft to make it ready for revenue service. When the life vest box was removed I also made a cabin job card for its removal. 3 days later; I was assigned the task to reinstall the life vest box. Mind you; this was at least 6 days prior to its going back to revenue service. I reinstalled the box and since no other loose items were going into the aircraft at that time; nothing was mentioned to put the life vests into the aircraft. After installing the box; I signed the cabin job card and thought that was it. I followed all general maintenance procedures for removal and installation of the box which did not include anything about the life vests. If there is an inspection to check to see if these vests are properly installed; then it needs to be noted when the box is removed and installed.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DHC-8 DURING A HVY MAINT CHK THE LIFE VEST BOX WAS REMOVED. BOX CONTAINED NO VESTS. ON REINSTALLING THE BOX AFTER CABIN REFURBISHMENT; THE BOX WAS LEFT EMPTY.

Narrative: I WAS ASSIGNED A JOB TO REMOVE THE LIFE VEST BOX FROM ACFT. BECAUSE THE SEATS MOUNTED ABOVE IT WERE REMOVED; ALSO LAVATORY AND GALLEY HAD TO COME OUT. THAT BOX WAS IN THE WAY OF REMOVING THE LAVATORY AND GALLEY. UPON REMOVAL OF BOX; I OPENED THE BOX AND THERE WERE NO LIFE VESTS IN IT. I REMOVED THE BOX AND TAGGED IT WITH AN IDENT STICKER AND PUT IT INTO THE APPROPRIATE PARTS BIN FOR REMOVAL OF ALL INTERIOR PARTS. PARTS THAT ARE REMOVED FROM THE ACFT TO FACILITATE OTHER MAINT ARE STORED AND TAGGED IN BINS UNTIL IT IS TIME TO REINSTALL THOSE PARTS BACK ON THE ACFT. AGAIN WHEN I REMOVED THE BOX THERE WERE NO LIFE VESTS IN IT. I ASSUMED THE LIFE VESTS WERE REMOVED PRIOR TO MY REMOVAL OF THE LIFE VEST BOX AND PROPERLY STOWED UNTIL IT WAS TIME TO PUT THOSE ITEMS IN THE ACFT TO MAKE IT READY FOR REVENUE SVC. WHEN THE LIFE VEST BOX WAS REMOVED I ALSO MADE A CABIN JOB CARD FOR ITS REMOVAL. 3 DAYS LATER; I WAS ASSIGNED THE TASK TO REINSTALL THE LIFE VEST BOX. MIND YOU; THIS WAS AT LEAST 6 DAYS PRIOR TO ITS GOING BACK TO REVENUE SVC. I REINSTALLED THE BOX AND SINCE NO OTHER LOOSE ITEMS WERE GOING INTO THE ACFT AT THAT TIME; NOTHING WAS MENTIONED TO PUT THE LIFE VESTS INTO THE ACFT. AFTER INSTALLING THE BOX; I SIGNED THE CABIN JOB CARD AND THOUGHT THAT WAS IT. I FOLLOWED ALL GENERAL MAINT PROCS FOR REMOVAL AND INSTALLATION OF THE BOX WHICH DID NOT INCLUDE ANYTHING ABOUT THE LIFE VESTS. IF THERE IS AN INSPECTION TO CHK TO SEE IF THESE VESTS ARE PROPERLY INSTALLED; THEN IT NEEDS TO BE NOTED WHEN THE BOX IS REMOVED AND INSTALLED.

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.