An airbus A319 just removed slide from main entry door 1-LEFT suddenly deployed in mechanics' hands ...

Attributes
ACN	768649
Time
Date	200711
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A319
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : maintenance
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	maintenance : technician
ASRS Report	768649
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	maintenance : technician
ASRS Report	768650
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other other : 1
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : tooling performance deficiency : training performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements performance deficiency : scheduled maintenance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Maintenance Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance
Situations
Publication	MM Slide Removal Procs

Narrative:

Callout to change door 1R slide. Removed slide cover; and tried to install safety pin in slide before removal. Safety pin would not line-up; pin not going in; looked with mirror and noticed safety pin opening was not lined up for pin installation. Removed slide from door and tried once again to install safety pin; pin still would not go in. Installed new slide on door and pulled safety pin on new slide and checked to see if pins would go back in on new slide and it easily went in. Removed pin and installed in holding pouch of new slide. Carried old slide down entry stairs with safety pin not installed and as we were about to install it in container; slide deployed in our hands. Myself and the mechanic working with me dropped slide and ran. Neither I nor the other mechanic I was working with got injured or any damage to aircraft. No delay to aircraft. Informed supervisor. Supplemental information from acn 768650: callout to change door 1R evacuate/evacuation slide for time. Pin could not be installed because pin installation opening was blocked.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN AIRBUS A319 JUST REMOVED SLIDE FROM MAIN ENTRY DOOR 1-LEFT SUDDENLY DEPLOYED IN MECHANICS' HANDS WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PLACE SLIDE IN SHIPPING CONTAINER. SAFETY PIN NOT INSTALLED PRIOR TO REMOVAL FROM DOOR.

Narrative: CALLOUT TO CHANGE DOOR 1R SLIDE. REMOVED SLIDE COVER; AND TRIED TO INSTALL SAFETY PIN IN SLIDE BEFORE REMOVAL. SAFETY PIN WOULD NOT LINE-UP; PIN NOT GOING IN; LOOKED WITH MIRROR AND NOTICED SAFETY PIN OPENING WAS NOT LINED UP FOR PIN INSTALLATION. REMOVED SLIDE FROM DOOR AND TRIED ONCE AGAIN TO INSTALL SAFETY PIN; PIN STILL WOULD NOT GO IN. INSTALLED NEW SLIDE ON DOOR AND PULLED SAFETY PIN ON NEW SLIDE AND CHKED TO SEE IF PINS WOULD GO BACK IN ON NEW SLIDE AND IT EASILY WENT IN. REMOVED PIN AND INSTALLED IN HOLDING POUCH OF NEW SLIDE. CARRIED OLD SLIDE DOWN ENTRY STAIRS WITH SAFETY PIN NOT INSTALLED AND AS WE WERE ABOUT TO INSTALL IT IN CONTAINER; SLIDE DEPLOYED IN OUR HANDS. MYSELF AND THE MECH WORKING WITH ME DROPPED SLIDE AND RAN. NEITHER I NOR THE OTHER MECH I WAS WORKING WITH GOT INJURED OR ANY DAMAGE TO ACFT. NO DELAY TO ACFT. INFORMED SUPVR. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 768650: CALLOUT TO CHANGE DOOR 1R EVAC SLIDE FOR TIME. PIN COULD NOT BE INSTALLED BECAUSE PIN INSTALLATION OPENING WAS BLOCKED.

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.

An airbus A319 just removed slide from main entry door 1-LEFT suddenly deployed in mechanics' hands while attempting to place slide in shipping container. Safety pin not installed prior to removal from door.