Narrative:

Working as a bump up lead; I signed off a non routine card reading 'left wing spoilers dirty.' having looked at the spoilers; I had concluded that the job had been done. A short time later the inspector that had originated the non routine card informed me that the spoilers had not been cleaned. I assured him that I would see to it that they were cleaned. At that time the aircraft was on jacks. After some time passed; I supervised the lowering the aircraft and oversaw the remaining open items including cleaning the spoiler in question. I used a 4 ft ladder and brought 2 or 3 shop towels up with me to clean the #1 spoiler in question. After a couple of quick wipes; I came down and showed the new inspector on duty the cleaned spoiler. I then continued on with the business of preparing the aircraft for its leak checks; a problem with #2 thrust reverser and a vibration survey followed by post dock. We were pushing to make an XE00 departure having missed our earlier scheduled XD00. I deeply regret not seeing the box of towels left on the flap shelf. It was located just outboard of where I cleaned the spoiler. I am grateful that my personal reminder of what I do for a living requires my full attention at all times did not come at the cost of injury or aircraft damage. As a result; has come a new post dock procedure from our quality control and production. Before releasing an aircraft from 'C' check; we will lower the flaps and raise the spoilers for inspection. This takes us a step beyond a post dock inspection requirements and will hopefully put an end to this type of problem.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-300 AFTER COMPLETION OF A 'C' CHK WAS DISPATCHED WITH A BOX OF SHOP TOWELS LEFT UNDER THE '0' SPOILER.

Narrative: WORKING AS A BUMP UP LEAD; I SIGNED OFF A NON ROUTINE CARD READING 'L WING SPOILERS DIRTY.' HAVING LOOKED AT THE SPOILERS; I HAD CONCLUDED THAT THE JOB HAD BEEN DONE. A SHORT TIME LATER THE INSPECTOR THAT HAD ORIGINATED THE NON ROUTINE CARD INFORMED ME THAT THE SPOILERS HAD NOT BEEN CLEANED. I ASSURED HIM THAT I WOULD SEE TO IT THAT THEY WERE CLEANED. AT THAT TIME THE ACFT WAS ON JACKS. AFTER SOME TIME PASSED; I SUPERVISED THE LOWERING THE ACFT AND OVERSAW THE REMAINING OPEN ITEMS INCLUDING CLEANING THE SPOILER IN QUESTION. I USED A 4 FT LADDER AND BROUGHT 2 OR 3 SHOP TOWELS UP WITH ME TO CLEAN THE #1 SPOILER IN QUESTION. AFTER A COUPLE OF QUICK WIPES; I CAME DOWN AND SHOWED THE NEW INSPECTOR ON DUTY THE CLEANED SPOILER. I THEN CONTINUED ON WITH THE BUSINESS OF PREPARING THE ACFT FOR ITS LEAK CHKS; A PROB WITH #2 THRUST REVERSER AND A VIBRATION SURVEY FOLLOWED BY POST DOCK. WE WERE PUSHING TO MAKE AN XE00 DEP HAVING MISSED OUR EARLIER SCHEDULED XD00. I DEEPLY REGRET NOT SEEING THE BOX OF TOWELS LEFT ON THE FLAP SHELF. IT WAS LOCATED JUST OUTBOARD OF WHERE I CLEANED THE SPOILER. I AM GRATEFUL THAT MY PERSONAL REMINDER OF WHAT I DO FOR A LIVING REQUIRES MY FULL ATTN AT ALL TIMES DID NOT COME AT THE COST OF INJURY OR ACFT DAMAGE. AS A RESULT; HAS COME A NEW POST DOCK PROC FROM OUR QUALITY CTL AND PRODUCTION. BEFORE RELEASING AN ACFT FROM 'C' CHK; WE WILL LOWER THE FLAPS AND RAISE THE SPOILERS FOR INSPECTION. THIS TAKES US A STEP BEYOND A POST DOCK INSPECTION REQUIREMENTS AND WILL HOPEFULLY PUT AN END TO THIS TYPE OF PROB.

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.