Narrative:

Working engineering order X to check for rusted/damaged aileron cables; found rusted aileron cables on right wing. Replaced both cables. During rigging; installed rig pin in as-4 hole in aileron tower shaft quadrant. Adjusted cable tension; removed pin; cycled ailerons. Index marks were off. Installed rig pin back in as-4; adjusted cables; removed rig pin; cycled ailerons; index marks still off. Installed rig pin back in as-4. Adjusted ailerons; removed rig pin; cycled ailerons. Index mark just out of tolerance. Installed rig pin in as-4. Adjusted cables; cycled ailerons. Ailerons did not move. Rig pin installed in as-4 resulting in bent ears on rig pin holes. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated both technicians had been working for 10 hours on the right wing aileron cables replacement due to rusting. After 4 adjustments were made; the ailerons were in adjustment and the ailerons were tested hydraulically. They had inadvertently used the metal rig pin in the tower shaft and the rig pin hole ears were damaged. The metal rig pin came in the rig pin kit and should have been a phenolic rig pin that would have sheared; preventing tower shaft damage. They had to check all the rig pin kits and discard the metal pins.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-300 AILERON TOWER SHAFT WAS DAMAGED WHEN THE AILERONS WERE ACTIVATED HYDRAULICALLY WITH A METAL RIG PIN INSTALLED. INCORRECT RIG PIN INSTALLED.

Narrative: WORKING ENGINEERING ORDER X TO CHK FOR RUSTED/DAMAGED AILERON CABLES; FOUND RUSTED AILERON CABLES ON R WING. REPLACED BOTH CABLES. DURING RIGGING; INSTALLED RIG PIN IN AS-4 HOLE IN AILERON TOWER SHAFT QUADRANT. ADJUSTED CABLE TENSION; REMOVED PIN; CYCLED AILERONS. INDEX MARKS WERE OFF. INSTALLED RIG PIN BACK IN AS-4; ADJUSTED CABLES; REMOVED RIG PIN; CYCLED AILERONS; INDEX MARKS STILL OFF. INSTALLED RIG PIN BACK IN AS-4. ADJUSTED AILERONS; REMOVED RIG PIN; CYCLED AILERONS. INDEX MARK JUST OUT OF TOLERANCE. INSTALLED RIG PIN IN AS-4. ADJUSTED CABLES; CYCLED AILERONS. AILERONS DID NOT MOVE. RIG PIN INSTALLED IN AS-4 RESULTING IN BENT EARS ON RIG PIN HOLES. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED BOTH TECHNICIANS HAD BEEN WORKING FOR 10 HRS ON THE R WING AILERON CABLES REPLACEMENT DUE TO RUSTING. AFTER 4 ADJUSTMENTS WERE MADE; THE AILERONS WERE IN ADJUSTMENT AND THE AILERONS WERE TESTED HYDRAULICALLY. THEY HAD INADVERTENTLY USED THE METAL RIG PIN IN THE TOWER SHAFT AND THE RIG PIN HOLE EARS WERE DAMAGED. THE METAL RIG PIN CAME IN THE RIG PIN KIT AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN A PHENOLIC RIG PIN THAT WOULD HAVE SHEARED; PREVENTING TOWER SHAFT DAMAGE. THEY HAD TO CHK ALL THE RIG PIN KITS AND DISCARD THE METAL PINS.

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.