 |
37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
A line mechanic notices screws that attach the left upper wing/body fairing to the fuselage on a B737-400 were loose and protruding. The same screws were found to be too short.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 782336 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200803 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Make Model Name | B737-400 |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | maintenance : technician |
| ASRS Report | 782336 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | maintenance problem : improper maintenance non adherence : published procedure |
| Independent Detector | other other : 1 |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | other |
| Factors | |
| Maintenance | performance deficiency : scheduled maintenance performance deficiency : installation performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Maintenance Human Performance Aircraft |
| Primary Problem | Maintenance Human Performance |
Narrative:
I observed a screw that attaches the upper wing/body fairing to the fuselage loose and protruding from the fuselage. Closer inspection revealed that the screw adjacent to the protruding screw was also loose. The screws could not be tightened -- would not torque up. When the screws were removed; the threads of the screws were clogged with sealant and they were too short. They appear to be -4 and -6 in length; when the ipc calls for a -10 length in that location. The loose screws were in an area of heavy structure -- most other screws securing the fairing are -4 in length. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated he believes whoever installed these screws knew they were too short and deliberately applied sealant to hold them in place.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A LINE MECHANIC NOTICES SCREWS THAT ATTACH THE LEFT UPPER WING/BODY FAIRING TO THE FUSELAGE ON A B737-400 WERE LOOSE AND PROTRUDING. THE SAME SCREWS WERE FOUND TO BE TOO SHORT.
Narrative: I OBSERVED A SCREW THAT ATTACHES THE UPPER WING/BODY FAIRING TO THE FUSELAGE LOOSE AND PROTRUDING FROM THE FUSELAGE. CLOSER INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THE SCREW ADJACENT TO THE PROTRUDING SCREW WAS ALSO LOOSE. THE SCREWS COULD NOT BE TIGHTENED -- WOULD NOT TORQUE UP. WHEN THE SCREWS WERE REMOVED; THE THREADS OF THE SCREWS WERE CLOGGED WITH SEALANT AND THEY WERE TOO SHORT. THEY APPEAR TO BE -4 AND -6 IN LENGTH; WHEN THE IPC CALLS FOR A -10 LENGTH IN THAT LOCATION. THE LOOSE SCREWS WERE IN AN AREA OF HVY STRUCTURE -- MOST OTHER SCREWS SECURING THE FAIRING ARE -4 IN LENGTH. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: REPORTER STATED HE BELIEVES WHOEVER INSTALLED THESE SCREWS KNEW THEY WERE TOO SHORT AND DELIBERATELY APPLIED SEALANT TO HOLD THEM IN PLACE.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.