A md-80 aircraft tail fell off tail jack during aircraft down jacking after weigh job. Aircraft tail...

Attributes
ACN	731320
Time
Date	200703
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : maintenance
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	maintenance : technician
ASRS Report	731320
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	maintenance : technician
ASRS Report	731338
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : improper maintenance maintenance problem : improper documentation non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : tail damage other other : 1
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	other other
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : tooling contributing factor : briefing contributing factor : non availability of parts performance deficiency : installation performance deficiency : training performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Maintenance Human Performance Aircraft Company
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

I was on a weigh job of aircraft X. We had just completed the first of two weighings and were bringing the aircraft down off the jacks; when the aircraft tail came down off the tail jack. The tail jack punctured the fuselage; due to the load cell coming off the tail jack; because of the jack being the wrong adapter size. It was never explained to me that the load cell jack adapter could be the wrong type and there are no markings or part numbers on the adapters to identify them. I feel that this incident was partly due to the training course. The training did not emphasize that the load cell jack adapters could be different sizes. He also was not able to train me on the specific type of weigh job method or equipment that would be used; because the equipment was not available and he did not know which method of weighing we would be using. Also; the kit that is at hand; and being used; has no indication of which adapter is which. The adapters themselves were not marked with a part number. I also propose that the work card have separate signoffs for each jack set-up and load cell set-up.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A MD-80 ACFT TAIL FELL OFF TAIL JACK DURING ACFT DOWN JACKING AFTER WEIGH JOB. ACFT TAIL SECTION WAS DAMAGED.

Narrative: I WAS ON A WEIGH JOB OF ACFT X. WE HAD JUST COMPLETED THE FIRST OF TWO WEIGHINGS AND WERE BRINGING THE ACFT DOWN OFF THE JACKS; WHEN THE ACFT TAIL CAME DOWN OFF THE TAIL JACK. THE TAIL JACK PUNCTURED THE FUSELAGE; DUE TO THE LOAD CELL COMING OFF THE TAIL JACK; BECAUSE OF THE JACK BEING THE WRONG ADAPTER SIZE. IT WAS NEVER EXPLAINED TO ME THAT THE LOAD CELL JACK ADAPTER COULD BE THE WRONG TYPE AND THERE ARE NO MARKINGS OR PART NUMBERS ON THE ADAPTERS TO IDENT THEM. I FEEL THAT THIS INCIDENT WAS PARTLY DUE TO THE TRAINING COURSE. THE TRAINING DID NOT EMPHASIZE THAT THE LOAD CELL JACK ADAPTERS COULD BE DIFFERENT SIZES. HE ALSO WAS NOT ABLE TO TRAIN ME ON THE SPECIFIC TYPE OF WEIGH JOB METHOD OR EQUIP THAT WOULD BE USED; BECAUSE THE EQUIP WAS NOT AVAILABLE AND HE DID NOT KNOW WHICH METHOD OF WEIGHING WE WOULD BE USING. ALSO; THE KIT THAT IS AT HAND; AND BEING USED; HAS NO INDICATION OF WHICH ADAPTER IS WHICH. THE ADAPTERS THEMSELVES WERE NOT MARKED WITH A PART NUMBER. I ALSO PROPOSE THAT THE WORK CARD HAVE SEPARATE SIGNOFFS FOR EACH JACK SET-UP AND LOAD CELL SET-UP.

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.

A md-80 aircraft tail fell off tail jack during aircraft down jacking after weigh job. Aircraft tail section was damaged.