Narrative:

I replaced the aircraft battery on aircraft. I had placed the new battery in the cargo pit earlier in the night as I could not power down the aircraft until other maintenance had been performed. When the opportunity presented itself; I replaced the battery; with my vehicle now parked at aircraft left. Realizing the overall heaviness of the old battery; I decided to place it at the edge of the cargo bin threshold so that it could be easily removed from the aircraft and placed on my vehicle once I pulled it around to the forward pit. Just after replacing the battery; I was given the navigation data loader; which also needed to be used on this aircraft. At present; there is only 1 data binder; and at certain times; many aircraft are in need of this particular tooling. This requires a certain amount of coordination among mechanics. As I received the loader; I was informed that several other aircraft at the hangar needed it as well. I told them I'd bring it to them as soon as I was done. The load process is usually very simple; however; in this case; complications arose causing it to take roughly 1 - 1 1/2 hours to complete. At this point; it was getting late and the issues with the data load became the complete focus of my attention. The problem was resolved; but left me forgetting about the battery still awaiting pickup. I finished my check and performed a quick post-maintenance inspection; verifying all engine cowls were latched and electronics bay doors closed. Somehow I did not see the battery located at the forward pit threshold. A few hours passed and ramp began loading bags onto the aircraft. At this time the battery was evidently pushed back into the cargo bin and loaded with aircraft baggage where it was later found.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MECHANIC FAILS TO REMOVE THE OLD ACFT BATTERY HE HAD POSITIONED AT THE EDGE OF A FORWARD CARGO PIT THRESHOLD OF A B737-700 ACFT. BATTERY WAS PUSHED BACK INTO THE PIT AS RAMP LOADS BAGGAGE. THE BATTERY WAS SUBSEQUENTLY REMOVED AT NEXT STATION.

Narrative: I REPLACED THE ACFT BATTERY ON ACFT. I HAD PLACED THE NEW BATTERY IN THE CARGO PIT EARLIER IN THE NIGHT AS I COULD NOT PWR DOWN THE ACFT UNTIL OTHER MAINT HAD BEEN PERFORMED. WHEN THE OPPORTUNITY PRESENTED ITSELF; I REPLACED THE BATTERY; WITH MY VEHICLE NOW PARKED AT ACFT L. REALIZING THE OVERALL HEAVINESS OF THE OLD BATTERY; I DECIDED TO PLACE IT AT THE EDGE OF THE CARGO BIN THRESHOLD SO THAT IT COULD BE EASILY REMOVED FROM THE ACFT AND PLACED ON MY VEHICLE ONCE I PULLED IT AROUND TO THE FORWARD PIT. JUST AFTER REPLACING THE BATTERY; I WAS GIVEN THE NAV DATA LOADER; WHICH ALSO NEEDED TO BE USED ON THIS ACFT. AT PRESENT; THERE IS ONLY 1 DATA BINDER; AND AT CERTAIN TIMES; MANY ACFT ARE IN NEED OF THIS PARTICULAR TOOLING. THIS REQUIRES A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF COORD AMONG MECHS. AS I RECEIVED THE LOADER; I WAS INFORMED THAT SEVERAL OTHER ACFT AT THE HANGAR NEEDED IT AS WELL. I TOLD THEM I'D BRING IT TO THEM AS SOON AS I WAS DONE. THE LOAD PROCESS IS USUALLY VERY SIMPLE; HOWEVER; IN THIS CASE; COMPLICATIONS AROSE CAUSING IT TO TAKE ROUGHLY 1 - 1 1/2 HRS TO COMPLETE. AT THIS POINT; IT WAS GETTING LATE AND THE ISSUES WITH THE DATA LOAD BECAME THE COMPLETE FOCUS OF MY ATTN. THE PROB WAS RESOLVED; BUT LEFT ME FORGETTING ABOUT THE BATTERY STILL AWAITING PICKUP. I FINISHED MY CHK AND PERFORMED A QUICK POST-MAINT INSPECTION; VERIFYING ALL ENG COWLS WERE LATCHED AND ELECTRONICS BAY DOORS CLOSED. SOMEHOW I DID NOT SEE THE BATTERY LOCATED AT THE FORWARD PIT THRESHOLD. A FEW HRS PASSED AND RAMP BEGAN LOADING BAGS ONTO THE ACFT. AT THIS TIME THE BATTERY WAS EVIDENTLY PUSHED BACK INTO THE CARGO BIN AND LOADED WITH ACFT BAGGAGE WHERE IT WAS LATER FOUND.

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.