Narrative:

I was taking the maintenance release to the cockpit; reviewing the work accomplish as I walked. As I approached door 2L I saw that the D ring for slide raft was not exposed outside the slide cover. In the text; someone had found the ring; but not properly positioned it outside of the cover. It had flown several legs without the cabin crew noticing the discrepancy. The D ring was stuffed into the slide skirt. It would have been concealed and hard to locate if the slide had been deployed. Obviously; it was not deferrable or a carry forward candidate. I repositioned the ring in its proper location prior to departure. The item was entered by maintenance control at a non-maintenance station. I can only assume it was performed by maintenance control. I would suggest that only experienced mechanics be allowed to work on emergency evacuation equipment.callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated the cabin door slide pack on the overwater B757-200's are the slide/raft type. The 'D' ring that is part of the pack is only found on the slide/raft combinations and must be visible at all times. Cabin crew are required to verify the visibility of the 'D' ring during preflight checks. Reporter stated the lack of 'D' ring visibility on the overwater B757-200's; due to improper positioning of the 'D' ring on the slide/raft pack; contributes to many of their preflight delays involving slide issues. The 'D' ring is used to attach the emergency first aid kit to the slide/raft prior to detaching the girt raft assembly from the aircraft. Lack of a 'D' ring is not a deferrable item.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A LEAD MECHANIC NOTICES THE 'D' RING ON THE DOOR 2L EMERGENCY SLIDE WAS STUFFED INTO THE SLIDE SKIRT; INSTEAD OF BEING EXPOSED OUTSIDE OF THE SLIDE COVER. THE 'D' RING IS USED TO ATTACH THE EMERGENCY FIRST AID KIT. THE B757-200 HAD BEEN FLOWN SEVERAL LEGS WITHOUT THE CABIN CREW AWARE OF THE DISCREPANCY.

Narrative: I WAS TAKING THE MAINT RELEASE TO THE COCKPIT; REVIEWING THE WORK ACCOMPLISH AS I WALKED. AS I APCHED DOOR 2L I SAW THAT THE D RING FOR SLIDE RAFT WAS NOT EXPOSED OUTSIDE THE SLIDE COVER. IN THE TEXT; SOMEONE HAD FOUND THE RING; BUT NOT PROPERLY POSITIONED IT OUTSIDE OF THE COVER. IT HAD FLOWN SEVERAL LEGS WITHOUT THE CABIN CREW NOTICING THE DISCREPANCY. THE D RING WAS STUFFED INTO THE SLIDE SKIRT. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN CONCEALED AND HARD TO LOCATE IF THE SLIDE HAD BEEN DEPLOYED. OBVIOUSLY; IT WAS NOT DEFERRABLE OR A CARRY FORWARD CANDIDATE. I REPOSITIONED THE RING IN ITS PROPER LOCATION PRIOR TO DEPARTURE. THE ITEM WAS ENTERED BY MAINT CTL AT A NON-MAINTENANCE STATION. I CAN ONLY ASSUME IT WAS PERFORMED BY MAINT CTL. I WOULD SUGGEST THAT ONLY EXPERIENCED MECHANICS BE ALLOWED TO WORK ON EMERGENCY EVACUATION EQUIPMENT.CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: REPORTER STATED THE CABIN DOOR SLIDE PACK ON THE OVERWATER B757-200'S ARE THE SLIDE/RAFT TYPE. THE 'D' RING THAT IS PART OF THE PACK IS ONLY FOUND ON THE SLIDE/RAFT COMBINATIONS AND MUST BE VISIBLE AT ALL TIMES. CABIN CREW ARE REQUIRED TO VERIFY THE VISIBILITY OF THE 'D' RING DURING PREFLIGHT CHECKS. REPORTER STATED THE LACK OF 'D' RING VISIBILITY ON THE OVERWATER B757-200'S; DUE TO IMPROPER POSITIONING OF THE 'D' RING ON THE SLIDE/RAFT PACK; CONTRIBUTES TO MANY OF THEIR PREFLIGHT DELAYS INVOLVING SLIDE ISSUES. THE 'D' RING IS USED TO ATTACH THE EMERGENCY FIRST AID KIT TO THE SLIDE/RAFT PRIOR TO DETACHING THE GIRT RAFT ASSEMBLY FROM THE ACFT. LACK OF A 'D' RING IS NOT A DEFERRABLE ITEM.

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.