Narrative:

Air carrier was in for a phase 2A inspection; while complying with work card 27-200-03; I found the r-hand aileron damper to have loose bearings on both rod ends. Both the work card and amm require the rod end to be inspected for its integrity and general condition. In the cmm chapter 27-12-03 the cmm page 501 lists under 'check' the specific inspection that is required for the damper. Paragraph 2 under note lists to 'check bearings for roughness; binding; and excessive axial and radial play.' also under table 501; 'if the bearings are seized; loose; or rough while rotating; it is to be replaced.' of course; with the given information I issued a non routine work card to have the damper replaced. The aileron dampers have been written up several times in the past for bad bearings on different aircraft by different inspectors including myself. I have gone as far taking pictures and giving a description of what the problem is. We have been told that there has been some inquiry to the manufacturer for specific limits; but none have been produced that we know of. Later on; I find out the chief inspector countermanded my non routine work card and re-installed a known bad part back onto the aircraft. I also found out that my rii and airworthiness release privileges have been suspended pending investigation. And that I have been summoned to ZZZ1 by the director of quality control. In my opinion I feel that I'm being harassed and coerced into letting opinions decide what's bad rather than available documentation. This action goes completely against parts of the gpm; my job description as stated in the transport working union agreement and what 'quality control' stands for and also reduces the credibility of the department. I don't feel that I have made any errors. I would like my rii back as soon as possible. During the pending meeting with the director of quality control on wednesday; I request an FAA inspector to be present. Please feel free to call me with any questions. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the hearing was held with the director of quality control; local FAA safety inspection from the FSDO; the reporter and the station chief inspector present. The meeting restored to the reporter the required inspection qualification and maintenance release authority/authorized. The chief inspector was relieved from duty pending a hearing on the findings of the subject airplane being removed from service for investigation. The reporter expresses doubt the director of quality control is really qualified to manage the job and already appears overloaded with assignments some not related to quality control.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN EMB135 WAS RELEASED FOR SVC WITH THE R AILERON DAMPER WITH LOOSE AND WORN ROD ENDS. ROD END BEARINGS HAD WORK CARD WRITTEN BY INSPECTOR FOR REPLACEMENT. CHIEF INSPECTOR OVERRULED WORK CARD AND HAD ROD ENDS REINSTALLED.

Narrative: ACR WAS IN FOR A PHASE 2A INSPECTION; WHILE COMPLYING WITH WORK CARD 27-200-03; I FOUND THE R-HAND AILERON DAMPER TO HAVE LOOSE BEARINGS ON BOTH ROD ENDS. BOTH THE WORK CARD AND AMM REQUIRE THE ROD END TO BE INSPECTED FOR ITS INTEGRITY AND GENERAL CONDITION. IN THE CMM CHAPTER 27-12-03 THE CMM PAGE 501 LISTS UNDER 'CHK' THE SPECIFIC INSPECTION THAT IS REQUIRED FOR THE DAMPER. PARAGRAPH 2 UNDER NOTE LISTS TO 'CHK BEARINGS FOR ROUGHNESS; BINDING; AND EXCESSIVE AXIAL AND RADIAL PLAY.' ALSO UNDER TABLE 501; 'IF THE BEARINGS ARE SEIZED; LOOSE; OR ROUGH WHILE ROTATING; IT IS TO BE REPLACED.' OF COURSE; WITH THE GIVEN INFO I ISSUED A NON ROUTINE WORK CARD TO HAVE THE DAMPER REPLACED. THE AILERON DAMPERS HAVE BEEN WRITTEN UP SEVERAL TIMES IN THE PAST FOR BAD BEARINGS ON DIFFERENT ACFT BY DIFFERENT INSPECTORS INCLUDING MYSELF. I HAVE GONE AS FAR TAKING PICTURES AND GIVING A DESCRIPTION OF WHAT THE PROB IS. WE HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THERE HAS BEEN SOME INQUIRY TO THE MANUFACTURER FOR SPECIFIC LIMITS; BUT NONE HAVE BEEN PRODUCED THAT WE KNOW OF. LATER ON; I FIND OUT THE CHIEF INSPECTOR COUNTERMANDED MY NON ROUTINE WORK CARD AND RE-INSTALLED A KNOWN BAD PART BACK ONTO THE ACFT. I ALSO FOUND OUT THAT MY RII AND AIRWORTHINESS RELEASE PRIVILEGES HAVE BEEN SUSPENDED PENDING INVESTIGATION. AND THAT I HAVE BEEN SUMMONED TO ZZZ1 BY THE DIRECTOR OF QUALITY CTL. IN MY OPINION I FEEL THAT I'M BEING HARASSED AND COERCED INTO LETTING OPINIONS DECIDE WHAT'S BAD RATHER THAN AVAILABLE DOCUMENTATION. THIS ACTION GOES COMPLETELY AGAINST PARTS OF THE GPM; MY JOB DESCRIPTION AS STATED IN THE TRANSPORT WORKING UNION AGREEMENT AND WHAT 'QUALITY CTL' STANDS FOR AND ALSO REDUCES THE CREDIBILITY OF THE DEPT. I DON'T FEEL THAT I HAVE MADE ANY ERRORS. I WOULD LIKE MY RII BACK ASAP. DURING THE PENDING MEETING WITH THE DIRECTOR OF QUALITY CTL ON WEDNESDAY; I REQUEST AN FAA INSPECTOR TO BE PRESENT. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CALL ME WITH ANY QUESTIONS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE HEARING WAS HELD WITH THE DIRECTOR OF QUALITY CTL; LCL FAA SAFETY INSPECTION FROM THE FSDO; THE RPTR AND THE STATION CHIEF INSPECTOR PRESENT. THE MEETING RESTORED TO THE RPTR THE REQUIRED INSPECTION QUALIFICATION AND MAINT RELEASE AUTH. THE CHIEF INSPECTOR WAS RELIEVED FROM DUTY PENDING A HEARING ON THE FINDINGS OF THE SUBJECT AIRPLANE BEING REMOVED FROM SVC FOR INVESTIGATION. THE RPTR EXPRESSES DOUBT THE DIRECTOR OF QUALITY CTL IS REALLY QUALIFIED TO MANAGE THE JOB AND ALREADY APPEARS OVERLOADED WITH ASSIGNMENTS SOME NOT RELATED TO QUALITY CTL.

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.