Narrative:

On aug/xa/07; I was performing final pressure checks and final inspections of main wheel assemblies in the tire shop and came across serial number X missing page 8 which is the discrepancy page. I searched the shop area and finally found the page torn up in the garbage can. I had written 2 discrepancies the day before for paint missing on bead seats and mating surfaces. The day before; Y said he would paint them but did not get to it. During next shift technician built the wheel assembly up and did not notice the page being there or missing. I found the torn up page 8 approximately 1 foot below the top of the debris in the can with some pieces on top of an empty equal bag. We use equal for balancing nosewheel assemblies only. The other pieces were scattered at the same level in an area that covered 1/4 to 1/3 of the can area as if tossed into the can rather than fisted in and covered with debris. This particular wheel assembly was the second out of 3 built that night. No nosewheel assemblies were built that night so no more equal was used. So; I believe if the debris stack was chronologically correct; page 8 was torn up and tossed in the can before work was begun on wheel assemblies that night. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated the balancing of the completed nosewheel and tire assembly is accomplished by loosely applying white powder inside the tire. During landing and take-off; the rotation of the tire allows the powder to distribute inside and balances the tire/wheel. Reporter also states his company has hired many new mechanics and there are many repeat maintenance mistakes. As a result; his carrier has initiated more training for the employees. Regarding the discarded write-ups; the internal report he filed with his company is under review.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DHC8-300 MAINT INSPECTOR FINDS TWO OF HIS PREVIOUS WRITE-UPS; ON A NOSEWHEEL ASSEMBLY BUILD-UP; IN THE TRASH CAN.

Narrative: ON AUG/XA/07; I WAS PERFORMING FINAL PRESSURE CHKS AND FINAL INSPECTIONS OF MAIN WHEEL ASSEMBLIES IN THE TIRE SHOP AND CAME ACROSS SERIAL NUMBER X MISSING PAGE 8 WHICH IS THE DISCREPANCY PAGE. I SEARCHED THE SHOP AREA AND FINALLY FOUND THE PAGE TORN UP IN THE GARBAGE CAN. I HAD WRITTEN 2 DISCREPANCIES THE DAY BEFORE FOR PAINT MISSING ON BEAD SEATS AND MATING SURFACES. THE DAY BEFORE; Y SAID HE WOULD PAINT THEM BUT DID NOT GET TO IT. DURING NEXT SHIFT TECHNICIAN BUILT THE WHEEL ASSEMBLY UP AND DID NOT NOTICE THE PAGE BEING THERE OR MISSING. I FOUND THE TORN UP PAGE 8 APPROX 1 FOOT BELOW THE TOP OF THE DEBRIS IN THE CAN WITH SOME PIECES ON TOP OF AN EMPTY EQUAL BAG. WE USE EQUAL FOR BALANCING NOSEWHEEL ASSEMBLIES ONLY. THE OTHER PIECES WERE SCATTERED AT THE SAME LEVEL IN AN AREA THAT COVERED 1/4 TO 1/3 OF THE CAN AREA AS IF TOSSED INTO THE CAN RATHER THAN FISTED IN AND COVERED WITH DEBRIS. THIS PARTICULAR WHEEL ASSEMBLY WAS THE SECOND OUT OF 3 BUILT THAT NIGHT. NO NOSEWHEEL ASSEMBLIES WERE BUILT THAT NIGHT SO NO MORE EQUAL WAS USED. SO; I BELIEVE IF THE DEBRIS STACK WAS CHRONOLOGICALLY CORRECT; PAGE 8 WAS TORN UP AND TOSSED IN THE CAN BEFORE WORK WAS BEGUN ON WHEEL ASSEMBLIES THAT NIGHT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: REPORTER STATED THE BALANCING OF THE COMPLETED NOSEWHEEL AND TIRE ASSEMBLY IS ACCOMPLISHED BY LOOSELY APPLYING WHITE POWDER INSIDE THE TIRE. DURING LANDING AND TAKE-OFF; THE ROTATION OF THE TIRE ALLOWS THE POWDER TO DISTRIBUTE INSIDE AND BALANCES THE TIRE/WHEEL. REPORTER ALSO STATES HIS COMPANY HAS HIRED MANY NEW MECHANICS AND THERE ARE MANY REPEAT MAINT MISTAKES. AS A RESULT; HIS CARRIER HAS INITIATED MORE TRAINING FOR THE EMPLOYEES. REGARDING THE DISCARDED WRITE-UPS; THE INTERNAL REPORT HE FILED WITH HIS COMPANY IS UNDER REVIEW.

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.