Narrative:

An airworthiness release was missed on aircraft X following the completion of task card service bulletin 84-27-42 -- flap control unit design change to address flap power caution messages -- modsum 4-113587. This task is a major alteration which requires a release. The lead mechanic failed to enter the airworthiness release in the logbook and I failed to catch it on my paperwork review. The day shift supervisor realized the mistake and the aircraft was stopped in ZZZ after 2 flight legs. Upon second review by the day shift supervisor; it was discovered the task was a major alteration and an airworthiness release had not been complied with. The aircraft was stopped in ZZZ and an airworthiness release was accomplished. The task card service bulletin 84-27-42 is a major alteration requiring an airworthiness release. The only indication on the task card is in small print in the upper r-hand corner stating 'major alteration.' there is also no quality control signoff block required and no step for the mechanic to ensure an airworthiness release is in the logbook. The morning was busy; I was by myself taking care of paperwork review and other duties with multiple distrs. Major alterations or major repairs could be idented on task cards in much larger print to draw attention to it. The small print is easy to miss when looking at several hundreds of pages of paperwork to review each night. A block could also be added requiring an airworthiness release upon completion of the task. Also office space is completely inadequate. Much too small; not allowing for good organization. Supplemental information from acn 815057: on aircraft; a flap control unit software upgrade was performed; and an airworthiness release was missed due to; as my acting base maintenance manager stated; 'the flap control unit upgrade is a 'major alteration' and the aircraft just had a task card. It's a set-up because the task card has no inspection signoff; no notes or warnings. We have asked planning not to issue these types of task with only a routine overnight check -- task card.' it was noticed by a second reviewer supervisor on day shift as far as I know. The aircraft was inspected in ZZZ and given an airworthiness release and returned to service. This was the first time that I have had to deal with this task card and was not aware of the requirement of an airworthiness release required for this task. I know now to watch out for the statement that this task card is a 'major alteration' above the header in the upper right corner of the task card. As the manager stated; a signoff block should be added to the task card.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A MAINTENANCE SUPERVISOR AND LEAD MECHANIC REPORT ON FAILING TO NOTICE AND ENTER A REQUIRED AIRWORTHINESS RELEASE IN THEIR DHC-8-Q400 LOGBOOK AFTER A MAJOR ALTERATION OF A FLAP CONTROL UNIT (FCU) DESIGN WAS ACCOMPLISHED.

Narrative: AN AIRWORTHINESS RELEASE WAS MISSED ON ACFT X FOLLOWING THE COMPLETION OF TASK CARD SVC BULLETIN 84-27-42 -- FLAP CONTROL UNIT DESIGN CHANGE TO ADDRESS FLAP PWR CAUTION MESSAGES -- MODSUM 4-113587. THIS TASK IS A MAJOR ALTERATION WHICH REQUIRES A RELEASE. THE LEAD MECH FAILED TO ENTER THE AIRWORTHINESS RELEASE IN THE LOGBOOK AND I FAILED TO CATCH IT ON MY PAPERWORK REVIEW. THE DAY SHIFT SUPVR REALIZED THE MISTAKE AND THE ACFT WAS STOPPED IN ZZZ AFTER 2 FLT LEGS. UPON SECOND REVIEW BY THE DAY SHIFT SUPVR; IT WAS DISCOVERED THE TASK WAS A MAJOR ALTERATION AND AN AIRWORTHINESS RELEASE HAD NOT BEEN COMPLIED WITH. THE ACFT WAS STOPPED IN ZZZ AND AN AIRWORTHINESS RELEASE WAS ACCOMPLISHED. THE TASK CARD SVC BULLETIN 84-27-42 IS A MAJOR ALTERATION REQUIRING AN AIRWORTHINESS RELEASE. THE ONLY INDICATION ON THE TASK CARD IS IN SMALL PRINT IN THE UPPER R-HAND CORNER STATING 'MAJOR ALTERATION.' THERE IS ALSO NO QUALITY CTL SIGNOFF BLOCK REQUIRED AND NO STEP FOR THE MECH TO ENSURE AN AIRWORTHINESS RELEASE IS IN THE LOGBOOK. THE MORNING WAS BUSY; I WAS BY MYSELF TAKING CARE OF PAPERWORK REVIEW AND OTHER DUTIES WITH MULTIPLE DISTRS. MAJOR ALTERATIONS OR MAJOR REPAIRS COULD BE IDENTED ON TASK CARDS IN MUCH LARGER PRINT TO DRAW ATTN TO IT. THE SMALL PRINT IS EASY TO MISS WHEN LOOKING AT SEVERAL HUNDREDS OF PAGES OF PAPERWORK TO REVIEW EACH NIGHT. A BLOCK COULD ALSO BE ADDED REQUIRING AN AIRWORTHINESS RELEASE UPON COMPLETION OF THE TASK. ALSO OFFICE SPACE IS COMPLETELY INADEQUATE. MUCH TOO SMALL; NOT ALLOWING FOR GOOD ORGANIZATION. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 815057: ON ACFT; A FLAP CONTROL UNIT SOFTWARE UPGRADE WAS PERFORMED; AND AN AIRWORTHINESS RELEASE WAS MISSED DUE TO; AS MY ACTING BASE MAINT MGR STATED; 'THE FLAP CONTROL UNIT UPGRADE IS A 'MAJOR ALTERATION' AND THE ACFT JUST HAD A TASK CARD. IT'S A SET-UP BECAUSE THE TASK CARD HAS NO INSPECTION SIGNOFF; NO NOTES OR WARNINGS. WE HAVE ASKED PLANNING NOT TO ISSUE THESE TYPES OF TASK WITH ONLY A ROUTINE OVERNIGHT CHK -- TASK CARD.' IT WAS NOTICED BY A SECOND REVIEWER SUPVR ON DAY SHIFT AS FAR AS I KNOW. THE ACFT WAS INSPECTED IN ZZZ AND GIVEN AN AIRWORTHINESS RELEASE AND RETURNED TO SVC. THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT I HAVE HAD TO DEAL WITH THIS TASK CARD AND WAS NOT AWARE OF THE REQUIREMENT OF AN AIRWORTHINESS RELEASE REQUIRED FOR THIS TASK. I KNOW NOW TO WATCH OUT FOR THE STATEMENT THAT THIS TASK CARD IS A 'MAJOR ALTERATION' ABOVE THE HEADER IN THE UPPER R CORNER OF THE TASK CARD. AS THE MGR STATED; A SIGNOFF BLOCK SHOULD BE ADDED TO THE TASK CARD.

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.