Narrative:

I received a quality notification letter regarding noncompliance of an airworthiness release following a major alteration. I was assigned to work a maintenance visit check for aircraft X. Also included in the work package was an aircraft change order for installation of window plugs for R4 and R5 windows. 2 additional mechanics were assigned to complete the change order. I completed the maintenance visit requirements as outlined on the maintenance tech publication approximately halfway through the shift. I then proceeded to assist the other 2 mechanics with completing the change order. Since this change order was new to line ron; myself; and the 2 mechanics performing the installation; work progress was proceeding at a slow rate. By the end of our shift; all steps through B(4) were completed by the other 2 mechanics. At this time; I volunteered to complete the change order. I completed installation steps B(5) through east; therefore completing the change order. By this time it was approximately XA00. I quickly cleaned up the area of materials and tools and proceeded into the office to complete the paperwork. At this time it is after scheduled departure and the change order paperwork is completed and the maintenance visits are signed off. The logbook is quickly returned to the aircraft. It is not realized that this change order was classified as a major alteration and therefore the accompanying airworthiness release was not entered into the logbook. There are several contributing factors to this event. Complacency is a significant contributing factor to the failure of recognizing the change order as a major alteration. It is important to note that change orders performed on the line have in the past been minor alterations. From the standpoint of the line mechanic doing the work; the nature of this change order was most likely regarded as a normal window replacement; which would not require an airworthiness release. Due to this mindset no consideration would have been given as to whether this was a major alteration. Other contributing factors were the stress and pressure to complete the paperwork and return the logbook to the waiting flight crew in order to minimize the delay. It was more of a concern to ensure the action steps of the change order were completed rather than reviewing the first page of the change order which do not contain any action steps. In order to prevent future occurrences; it is suggested that change orders classified as major alterations have a final action step to sign the airworthiness release.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-700 HAD A MAJOR ALTERATION THAT REPLACED THE EYEBROW WINDOWS WITH PLUGS. WHEN COMPLETED THE AIRWORTHINESS RELEASE FROM MAJOR ALTERATION WAS NOT SIGNED.

Narrative: I RECEIVED A QUALITY NOTIFICATION LETTER REGARDING NONCOMPLIANCE OF AN AIRWORTHINESS RELEASE FOLLOWING A MAJOR ALTERATION. I WAS ASSIGNED TO WORK A MAINT VISIT CHK FOR ACFT X. ALSO INCLUDED IN THE WORK PACKAGE WAS AN ACFT CHANGE ORDER FOR INSTALLATION OF WINDOW PLUGS FOR R4 AND R5 WINDOWS. 2 ADDITIONAL MECHS WERE ASSIGNED TO COMPLETE THE CHANGE ORDER. I COMPLETED THE MAINT VISIT REQUIREMENTS AS OUTLINED ON THE MAINT TECH PUB APPROX HALFWAY THROUGH THE SHIFT. I THEN PROCEEDED TO ASSIST THE OTHER 2 MECHS WITH COMPLETING THE CHANGE ORDER. SINCE THIS CHANGE ORDER WAS NEW TO LINE RON; MYSELF; AND THE 2 MECHS PERFORMING THE INSTALLATION; WORK PROGRESS WAS PROCEEDING AT A SLOW RATE. BY THE END OF OUR SHIFT; ALL STEPS THROUGH B(4) WERE COMPLETED BY THE OTHER 2 MECHS. AT THIS TIME; I VOLUNTEERED TO COMPLETE THE CHANGE ORDER. I COMPLETED INSTALLATION STEPS B(5) THROUGH E; THEREFORE COMPLETING THE CHANGE ORDER. BY THIS TIME IT WAS APPROX XA00. I QUICKLY CLEANED UP THE AREA OF MATERIALS AND TOOLS AND PROCEEDED INTO THE OFFICE TO COMPLETE THE PAPERWORK. AT THIS TIME IT IS AFTER SCHEDULED DEP AND THE CHANGE ORDER PAPERWORK IS COMPLETED AND THE MAINT VISITS ARE SIGNED OFF. THE LOGBOOK IS QUICKLY RETURNED TO THE ACFT. IT IS NOT REALIZED THAT THIS CHANGE ORDER WAS CLASSIFIED AS A MAJOR ALTERATION AND THEREFORE THE ACCOMPANYING AIRWORTHINESS RELEASE WAS NOT ENTERED INTO THE LOGBOOK. THERE ARE SEVERAL CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO THIS EVENT. COMPLACENCY IS A SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTING FACTOR TO THE FAILURE OF RECOGNIZING THE CHANGE ORDER AS A MAJOR ALTERATION. IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT CHANGE ORDERS PERFORMED ON THE LINE HAVE IN THE PAST BEEN MINOR ALTERATIONS. FROM THE STANDPOINT OF THE LINE MECH DOING THE WORK; THE NATURE OF THIS CHANGE ORDER WAS MOST LIKELY REGARDED AS A NORMAL WINDOW REPLACEMENT; WHICH WOULD NOT REQUIRE AN AIRWORTHINESS RELEASE. DUE TO THIS MINDSET NO CONSIDERATION WOULD HAVE BEEN GIVEN AS TO WHETHER THIS WAS A MAJOR ALTERATION. OTHER CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE THE STRESS AND PRESSURE TO COMPLETE THE PAPERWORK AND RETURN THE LOGBOOK TO THE WAITING FLT CREW IN ORDER TO MINIMIZE THE DELAY. IT WAS MORE OF A CONCERN TO ENSURE THE ACTION STEPS OF THE CHANGE ORDER WERE COMPLETED RATHER THAN REVIEWING THE FIRST PAGE OF THE CHANGE ORDER WHICH DO NOT CONTAIN ANY ACTION STEPS. IN ORDER TO PREVENT FUTURE OCCURRENCES; IT IS SUGGESTED THAT CHANGE ORDERS CLASSIFIED AS MAJOR ALTERATIONS HAVE A FINAL ACTION STEP TO SIGN THE AIRWORTHINESS RELEASE.

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.