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A flight mechanic explains his company's practices and procedures that contributed to the aircraft flying without a required ETOPS verification flight being accomplished on their B757-200 charter; after an 'a' check.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 792108 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200806 |
| Local Time Of Day | 0001 To 0600 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : zzz.tower |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B757-200 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | maintenance : technician |
| Qualification | technician : airframe technician : powerplant |
| Experience | maintenance technician : 3 |
| ASRS Report | 792108 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : improper maintenance maintenance problem : improper documentation non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far |
| Independent Detector | other other : 1 |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | other |
| Factors | |
| Maintenance | contributing factor : briefing performance deficiency : scheduled maintenance performance deficiency : testing performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements performance deficiency : logbook entry |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Company Maintenance Human Performance Aircraft |
| Primary Problem | Maintenance Human Performance |
Narrative:
Aircraft was in 'a' check in ZZZ. 'A' check was completed. Aircraft was ready for departure on jun/xa/08. I was the flight mechanic for the charter flight leaving on jun/xa/08 and returning the next day. The logbook was supposed to be completed for the trip; meaning all items and work cards from the 'a' check and staggered check were in the logbook including the verification flight. I arrive at the aircraft; do a daily check; and an ETOPS pre-departure check; and sign the airworthiness release. We arrive back in ZZZ and I was informed by co-workers that a verification flight was required and was not entered in the logbook when we departed the previous day. I also was informed that there were several items from the 'a' check package that were not entered in the logbook. As I was informed; if the verification flight was not done; then the aircraft does not have ETOPS status. The whole trip was flown with ETOPS flight plans. I think the way to fix problems like this at our company is to get a lead that is actually the lead and not also a flight mechanic like we have now who is never there supervising the 'a' checks and paperwork the way in my opinion should be done.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A FLIGHT MECHANIC EXPLAINS HIS COMPANY'S PRACTICES AND PROCEDURES THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACFT FLYING WITHOUT A REQUIRED ETOPS VERIFICATION FLIGHT BEING ACCOMPLISHED ON THEIR B757-200 CHARTER; AFTER AN 'A' CHECK.
Narrative: ACFT WAS IN 'A' CHK IN ZZZ. 'A' CHK WAS COMPLETED. ACFT WAS READY FOR DEP ON JUN/XA/08. I WAS THE FLT MECH FOR THE CHARTER FLT LEAVING ON JUN/XA/08 AND RETURNING THE NEXT DAY. THE LOGBOOK WAS SUPPOSED TO BE COMPLETED FOR THE TRIP; MEANING ALL ITEMS AND WORK CARDS FROM THE 'A' CHK AND STAGGERED CHK WERE IN THE LOGBOOK INCLUDING THE VERIFICATION FLT. I ARRIVE AT THE ACFT; DO A DAILY CHK; AND AN ETOPS PRE-DEP CHK; AND SIGN THE AIRWORTHINESS RELEASE. WE ARRIVE BACK IN ZZZ AND I WAS INFORMED BY CO-WORKERS THAT A VERIFICATION FLT WAS REQUIRED AND WAS NOT ENTERED IN THE LOGBOOK WHEN WE DEPARTED THE PREVIOUS DAY. I ALSO WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WERE SEVERAL ITEMS FROM THE 'A' CHK PACKAGE THAT WERE NOT ENTERED IN THE LOGBOOK. AS I WAS INFORMED; IF THE VERIFICATION FLT WAS NOT DONE; THEN THE ACFT DOES NOT HAVE ETOPS STATUS. THE WHOLE TRIP WAS FLOWN WITH ETOPS FLT PLANS. I THINK THE WAY TO FIX PROBS LIKE THIS AT OUR COMPANY IS TO GET A LEAD THAT IS ACTUALLY THE LEAD AND NOT ALSO A FLT MECH LIKE WE HAVE NOW WHO IS NEVER THERE SUPERVISING THE 'A' CHKS AND PAPERWORK THE WAY IN MY OPINION SHOULD BE DONE.
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.