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Mechanic reports on the misunderstanding and releasing of a B737-300 with forward galley carts missing.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 815540 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200812 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737-300 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | ground : parked |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | maintenance : technician |
| ASRS Report | 815540 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe maintenance problem : improper maintenance maintenance problem : improper documentation non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure |
| Independent Detector | other other : 1 |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | other |
| Factors | |
| Maintenance | contributing factor : non availability of parts performance deficiency : logbook entry performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Maintenance Human Performance Aircraft Company |
| Primary Problem | Maintenance Human Performance |
Narrative:
I was sent to aircraft to address a broken emergency light broken at seat 10C. When I arrived I found that the lens was missing so I installed a new lens and entered it into the logbook. As I was leaving the aircraft; there was some discussion of some missing forward galley carts. I passed this information onto my lead; the tower; ZZZ; engineering; and catering. After a lot of research and discussion with all parties including the flight crew and the FAA gentlemen; I thought that the general consensus was that the missing carts were not a safety of flight item and that the aircraft was ok for continued service. All open discrepancies in the log were clear at time of departure. Missing divider was written up in ZZZ1. I believe that the maintenance of all work should be done in-house where all practices and procedures are better enforced. The practice of outsourcing has made a mess of quality assurance in regards to the paperwork quagmire that has stretched the resources of the FAA and certificate holder's ability to enforce good; sound maintenance practices. The bottom line is that no one knew what was removed from the galley or who removed it. The ability of a line mechanic to decipher work performed in a timely manner has also stretched our resources. Get back to where airlines do their own maintenance in-house where quality assurance of good; sound maintenance practices and procedures are easier to enforce; track; and trace.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: MECHANIC REPORTS ON THE MISUNDERSTANDING AND RELEASING OF A B737-300 WITH FORWARD GALLEY CARTS MISSING.
Narrative: I WAS SENT TO ACFT TO ADDRESS A BROKEN EMER LIGHT BROKEN AT SEAT 10C. WHEN I ARRIVED I FOUND THAT THE LENS WAS MISSING SO I INSTALLED A NEW LENS AND ENTERED IT INTO THE LOGBOOK. AS I WAS LEAVING THE ACFT; THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION OF SOME MISSING FORWARD GALLEY CARTS. I PASSED THIS INFO ONTO MY LEAD; THE TWR; ZZZ; ENGINEERING; AND CATERING. AFTER A LOT OF RESEARCH AND DISCUSSION WITH ALL PARTIES INCLUDING THE FLT CREW AND THE FAA GENTLEMEN; I THOUGHT THAT THE GENERAL CONSENSUS WAS THAT THE MISSING CARTS WERE NOT A SAFETY OF FLT ITEM AND THAT THE ACFT WAS OK FOR CONTINUED SVC. ALL OPEN DISCREPANCIES IN THE LOG WERE CLEAR AT TIME OF DEP. MISSING DIVIDER WAS WRITTEN UP IN ZZZ1. I BELIEVE THAT THE MAINT OF ALL WORK SHOULD BE DONE IN-HOUSE WHERE ALL PRACTICES AND PROCS ARE BETTER ENFORCED. THE PRACTICE OF OUTSOURCING HAS MADE A MESS OF QUALITY ASSURANCE IN REGARDS TO THE PAPERWORK QUAGMIRE THAT HAS STRETCHED THE RESOURCES OF THE FAA AND CERTIFICATE HOLDER'S ABILITY TO ENFORCE GOOD; SOUND MAINT PRACTICES. THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT NO ONE KNEW WHAT WAS REMOVED FROM THE GALLEY OR WHO REMOVED IT. THE ABILITY OF A LINE MECH TO DECIPHER WORK PERFORMED IN A TIMELY MANNER HAS ALSO STRETCHED OUR RESOURCES. GET BACK TO WHERE AIRLINES DO THEIR OWN MAINT IN-HOUSE WHERE QUALITY ASSURANCE OF GOOD; SOUND MAINT PRACTICES AND PROCS ARE EASIER TO ENFORCE; TRACK; AND TRACE.
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.