Narrative:

After receiving a call from management; I was notified that aircraft X had a flight diversion due to APU oil pressure. According to reporter; APU oil cap was found off. As stated in my report to management; APU oil cap was locked and secured. The only factor that comes to mind is familiarization with aircraft type and APU oil cap design. In after thought; I should have requested paperwork from maintenance control for work being requested. Due to all work performed on aircraft X; I was instructed via phone from air carrier maintenance control. Please see report submitted to maintenance management. At XA30 arrived at aircraft X discrepancy in technical log. The #1 generator dropped off line on 2 separate takeoffs. I called maintenance control and spoke with mr X. He asked me to place the #1 generator on MEL and that I had to check the APU oil quantity to comply with MEL. He requested that I check the APU oil. While I was on the phone with him; I accessed the APU compartment. When I went to open the APU oil cap was unable to open it with 1 hand. So; I told mr X I would call him back once I have opened the oil cap. Once I had the oil cap open; I called back maintenance control and advised him of the APU oil quantity; which was just below the full mark on the APU oil cap. Mr X advised me that it was good. At this point I was instructed to close the APU oil cap and apply MEL. As I tried to reinstall oil cap I found it as difficult to close as it was to open so I told mr X that I would call him back as soon as I had the APU oil cap back on and the area closed up. Continued to close oil cap with both hands free and was able to put enough pressure on top of the cap and turn it to the locked position. I closed up the APU oil cap access door and APU compartment access door and called maintenance control while I was on the phone with mr X. I was instructed to fill in the corrective action area as follows: deferred #1 generator per MEL. Mr X had me fill out MEL placard and place one part in front of the technical log and a small tab on #1 generator switch above captain seat. At the time of my departure the APU was off. But I am sure that the APU was running on the gate prior to departure of the aircraft for electric and air as well as for engine start.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CRJ700 WITH #1 GENERATOR DEFERRED AS INOP DIVERTED DUE TO LOSS OF OIL IN THE APU. FOUND OIL FILLER CAP NOT SECURED.

Narrative: AFTER RECEIVING A CALL FROM MGMNT; I WAS NOTIFIED THAT ACFT X HAD A FLT DIVERSION DUE TO APU OIL PRESSURE. ACCORDING TO RPTR; APU OIL CAP WAS FOUND OFF. AS STATED IN MY RPT TO MGMNT; APU OIL CAP WAS LOCKED AND SECURED. THE ONLY FACTOR THAT COMES TO MIND IS FAMILIARIZATION WITH ACFT TYPE AND APU OIL CAP DESIGN. IN AFTER THOUGHT; I SHOULD HAVE REQUESTED PAPERWORK FROM MAINT CTL FOR WORK BEING REQUESTED. DUE TO ALL WORK PERFORMED ON ACFT X; I WAS INSTRUCTED VIA PHONE FROM ACR MAINT CTL. PLEASE SEE RPT SUBMITTED TO MAINT MGMNT. AT XA30 ARRIVED AT ACFT X DISCREPANCY IN TECHNICAL LOG. THE #1 GENERATOR DROPPED OFF LINE ON 2 SEPARATE TKOFS. I CALLED MAINT CTL AND SPOKE WITH MR X. HE ASKED ME TO PLACE THE #1 GENERATOR ON MEL AND THAT I HAD TO CHK THE APU OIL QUANTITY TO COMPLY WITH MEL. HE REQUESTED THAT I CHK THE APU OIL. WHILE I WAS ON THE PHONE WITH HIM; I ACCESSED THE APU COMPARTMENT. WHEN I WENT TO OPEN THE APU OIL CAP WAS UNABLE TO OPEN IT WITH 1 HAND. SO; I TOLD MR X I WOULD CALL HIM BACK ONCE I HAVE OPENED THE OIL CAP. ONCE I HAD THE OIL CAP OPEN; I CALLED BACK MAINT CTL AND ADVISED HIM OF THE APU OIL QUANTITY; WHICH WAS JUST BELOW THE FULL MARK ON THE APU OIL CAP. MR X ADVISED ME THAT IT WAS GOOD. AT THIS POINT I WAS INSTRUCTED TO CLOSE THE APU OIL CAP AND APPLY MEL. AS I TRIED TO REINSTALL OIL CAP I FOUND IT AS DIFFICULT TO CLOSE AS IT WAS TO OPEN SO I TOLD MR X THAT I WOULD CALL HIM BACK AS SOON AS I HAD THE APU OIL CAP BACK ON AND THE AREA CLOSED UP. CONTINUED TO CLOSE OIL CAP WITH BOTH HANDS FREE AND WAS ABLE TO PUT ENOUGH PRESSURE ON TOP OF THE CAP AND TURN IT TO THE LOCKED POS. I CLOSED UP THE APU OIL CAP ACCESS DOOR AND APU COMPARTMENT ACCESS DOOR AND CALLED MAINT CTL WHILE I WAS ON THE PHONE WITH MR X. I WAS INSTRUCTED TO FILL IN THE CORRECTIVE ACTION AREA AS FOLLOWS: DEFERRED #1 GENERATOR PER MEL. MR X HAD ME FILL OUT MEL PLACARD AND PLACE ONE PART IN FRONT OF THE TECHNICAL LOG AND A SMALL TAB ON #1 GENERATOR SWITCH ABOVE CAPT SEAT. AT THE TIME OF MY DEP THE APU WAS OFF. BUT I AM SURE THAT THE APU WAS RUNNING ON THE GATE PRIOR TO DEP OF THE ACFT FOR ELECTRIC AND AIR AS WELL AS FOR ENG START.

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.