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While performing ultrasonic inspection on the left outboard midflap spindle on a B737-500; an aircraft inspector notices that one of the aft flap track mount bolts was missing and another bolt had sheared off.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 784625 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200804 |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737-500 |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | maintenance : inspector |
| Qualification | technician : powerplant technician : inspection authority technician : airframe |
| Experience | maintenance technician : 10 |
| ASRS Report | 784625 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far non adherence : company policies non adherence : published procedure |
| Independent Detector | other other : 1 |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | other |
| Factors | |
| Maintenance | contributing factor : manuals contributing factor : engineering procedure performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements performance deficiency : scheduled maintenance performance deficiency : inspection |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Company Maintenance Human Performance Aircraft |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
Narrative:
Was acp ultra-sonic inspection on the l-hand outboard mid flap spindle. During visual of the ftg I looked at the aft end of the spindle housing and noticed that one of the aft flap track mount bolts was missing. Upon further inspection I found the other bolt was loose/sheared off also. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated the B737-500 aft flap tracks are mounted to the mid flap rear spar. He wanted to inspect the remaining aft tracks where the mount bolts secure the tracks to the midflap. But; this would have required an additional two or three small flap access panels to be removed. Company management denied his request. Reporter stated he thought inspecting the other aft tracks and their mount bolts; would have been the more prudent action to do.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: WHILE PERFORMING ULTRASONIC INSPECTION ON THE L OUTBOARD MIDFLAP SPINDLE ON A B737-500; AN ACFT INSPECTOR NOTICES THAT ONE OF THE AFT FLAP TRACK MOUNT BOLTS WAS MISSING AND ANOTHER BOLT HAD SHEARED OFF.
Narrative: WAS ACP ULTRA-SONIC INSPECTION ON THE L-HAND OUTBOARD MID FLAP SPINDLE. DURING VISUAL OF THE FTG I LOOKED AT THE AFT END OF THE SPINDLE HOUSING AND NOTICED THAT ONE OF THE AFT FLAP TRACK MOUNT BOLTS WAS MISSING. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION I FOUND THE OTHER BOLT WAS LOOSE/SHEARED OFF ALSO. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: REPORTER STATED THE B737-500 AFT FLAP TRACKS ARE MOUNTED TO THE MID FLAP REAR SPAR. HE WANTED TO INSPECT THE REMAINING AFT TRACKS WHERE THE MOUNT BOLTS SECURE THE TRACKS TO THE MIDFLAP. BUT; THIS WOULD HAVE REQUIRED AN ADDITIONAL TWO OR THREE SMALL FLAP ACCESS PANELS TO BE REMOVED. COMPANY MANAGEMENT DENIED HIS REQUEST. REPORTER STATED HE THOUGHT INSPECTING THE OTHER AFT TRACKS AND THEIR MOUNT BOLTS; WOULD HAVE BEEN THE MORE PRUDENT ACTION TO DO.
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.