Narrative:

On the night of mar/fri/06 I was tasked with the service check on aircraft. Upon picking the aircraft up from the gate; the flight crew informed us that they observed an issue with the flap system. We told them to write it in the logbook; reference lp. We were informed that the flaps did not extend to the chosen position; as well as an observed needle split. At this time we took the aircraft to the hangar. On the taxi over to the hangar; I cycled the flaps 8-10 times with no observed needle split; the flaps also went to the chosen position. When we arrived at the hangar we worked all the assigned (routine) work first. After the routine work was done I started working the flap item. Since there was no indication problem at the time; the flaps functioned properly; and there was no history; I chose to check the cannon plugs on the flap transmitters. These cannon plugs have been a source of problems on the -700 aircraft; causing the flaps to lock out. Upon pulling the cannon plugs and finding no noticeable issues I got the required cpc that is used on the -700 plugs. I sprayed; reconnected; and checked the system with no observed problems. While I performed the maintenance on the flap transmitter plugs I had several people inquire about what I was doing; and to offer help. I would stop to explain the job and then continue on. I removed the cannon plug on the right wing I needed pliers. After using them it appears I put them in the flap well. I got off the ladder to get the cpc; treated the plugs; and reinstalled them. The pliers must have been set in a recess (note: they stayed there for several days) and I did not remove them after the maintenance was performed. The pliers were found on mar/mon/06. I believe a combination of this being the last aircraft in; the last job being worked; interruptions during the job; and me putting the pliers there to begin with all contributed to this.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-300 WAS DISPATCHED AND OPERATED FOR SEVERAL DAYS WITH PLIERS LEFT IN THE R WING TRAILING EDGE FLAP WELL.

Narrative: ON THE NIGHT OF MAR/FRI/06 I WAS TASKED WITH THE SVC CHK ON ACFT. UPON PICKING THE ACFT UP FROM THE GATE; THE FLT CREW INFORMED US THAT THEY OBSERVED AN ISSUE WITH THE FLAP SYS. WE TOLD THEM TO WRITE IT IN THE LOGBOOK; REF LP. WE WERE INFORMED THAT THE FLAPS DID NOT EXTEND TO THE CHOSEN POS; AS WELL AS AN OBSERVED NEEDLE SPLIT. AT THIS TIME WE TOOK THE ACFT TO THE HANGAR. ON THE TAXI OVER TO THE HANGAR; I CYCLED THE FLAPS 8-10 TIMES WITH NO OBSERVED NEEDLE SPLIT; THE FLAPS ALSO WENT TO THE CHOSEN POS. WHEN WE ARRIVED AT THE HANGAR WE WORKED ALL THE ASSIGNED (ROUTINE) WORK FIRST. AFTER THE ROUTINE WORK WAS DONE I STARTED WORKING THE FLAP ITEM. SINCE THERE WAS NO INDICATION PROB AT THE TIME; THE FLAPS FUNCTIONED PROPERLY; AND THERE WAS NO HISTORY; I CHOSE TO CHK THE CANNON PLUGS ON THE FLAP XMITTERS. THESE CANNON PLUGS HAVE BEEN A SOURCE OF PROBS ON THE -700 ACFT; CAUSING THE FLAPS TO LOCK OUT. UPON PULLING THE CANNON PLUGS AND FINDING NO NOTICEABLE ISSUES I GOT THE REQUIRED CPC THAT IS USED ON THE -700 PLUGS. I SPRAYED; RECONNECTED; AND CHKED THE SYS WITH NO OBSERVED PROBS. WHILE I PERFORMED THE MAINT ON THE FLAP XMITTER PLUGS I HAD SEVERAL PEOPLE INQUIRE ABOUT WHAT I WAS DOING; AND TO OFFER HELP. I WOULD STOP TO EXPLAIN THE JOB AND THEN CONTINUE ON. I REMOVED THE CANNON PLUG ON THE R WING I NEEDED PLIERS. AFTER USING THEM IT APPEARS I PUT THEM IN THE FLAP WELL. I GOT OFF THE LADDER TO GET THE CPC; TREATED THE PLUGS; AND REINSTALLED THEM. THE PLIERS MUST HAVE BEEN SET IN A RECESS (NOTE: THEY STAYED THERE FOR SEVERAL DAYS) AND I DID NOT REMOVE THEM AFTER THE MAINT WAS PERFORMED. THE PLIERS WERE FOUND ON MAR/MON/06. I BELIEVE A COMBINATION OF THIS BEING THE LAST ACFT IN; THE LAST JOB BEING WORKED; INTERRUPTIONS DURING THE JOB; AND ME PUTTING THE PLIERS THERE TO BEGIN WITH ALL CONTRIBUTED TO THIS.

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.