Narrative:

Aircraft was in ZZZ1 with a 3 inch scratch found at fs533.00 to fs549.00 and .004 in depth. This information was sent to bombardier help desk for disposition on the damage. It came back with manufacturing engineering order. This allows us to blend the damage in accordance with structural repair manual 51-12-00; verify reworked area is crack free confirmed by non destructive testing methods; and to restore finish in accordance with structural repair manual 51-21-16. It has a note that steps #2 and #3 can be deferred for 50 flight hours provided a detailed visual inspection was performed. Step #2 is to perform non destructive testing; which was done. Step #3 is to restore finish. Maintenance placed this section on a 50-hour limited time maintenance tracking per the pending company engineering order #1 which was done in january 2009. This aircraft flew 4 days when it was low on time not to the point of worrying about it. The aircraft ended up in ZZZ2 that night and I thought they were gonna apply the top coat per the structural repair manual. They did not have the proper paint to complete this task; so I found company engineering order #2 which allows you to fly the aircraft to apply the missing paint until convenient check not to exceed the next heavy check. The pending first company engineering order was not even the next engineering order in line; the pending engineering order which got changed to company engineering order #3 was not updated until january 2009; according to the revision date; and from what I understand is still not signed to this date; which has now been a month. There was no report of changing the engineering order in the maintenance computer until january 2009. I had maintenance in ZZZ2 look at the second engineering order and had them take the limited time maintenance tracking and place it on a long term maintenance item tracking. From what I am told; this is something that cannot be done. From when this got caught and when the original limited time maintenance item tracking was to expire; this was an overfly situation. ZZZ3 maintenance had gone out to check the aircraft since engineering did not have the engineering order and though the mapping was not giving the proper depth; they had maintenance do a skin thickness check. When maintenance got to the aircraft; they discovered that nothing was done for top coat and yet it was signed off as transferred to long term maintenance item tracking. Maintenance applied top coat per the structural repair manual and also did the skin thickness check as they were told. The event occurred due to my lack of knowledge in dealing with repair orders; different types of company engineering orders that are allowed and not allowed and when you have a manufacturer's engineering order from bombardier that you need to go back to get approval to extend a certain task; which I did not do; nor did I know about at the time. Also; maintenance on the line did not know about this either; or I am sure they would have brought it to my attention at the time of clearing the limited line maintenance item tracking and applying the long term maintenance item tracking. This might have been caught earlier if the engineering order was the proper one at the time and engineering would have followed up right away with having the correct engineering order and had it signed in the proper manner. According to the general manual 15.2 part 2; an engineering order shall be generated the next business day. To get more knowledge on this type of work; to take the time and to get into the general manual to look at what is required and not required. I guess to get the time to be able to get into the general manual like we are supposed to be able to do. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated he was informed later that he could not deviate from the aircraft manufacturer's engineering order (eo); to apply the top coat to the blended scratch on the fuselage skin pr

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A Maintenance Controller describes his efforts to allow a CRJ-900 with a 3 inch scratch that was blended; to continue in service under their Long Term Maintenance Item Tracking system and have the top coat applied at a later date.

Narrative: Aircraft was in ZZZ1 with a 3 inch scratch found at fs533.00 to fs549.00 and .004 in depth. This information was sent to Bombardier Help Desk for disposition on the damage. It came back with Manufacturing Engineering Order. This allows us to blend the damage in accordance with Structural Repair Manual 51-12-00; verify reworked area is crack free confirmed by Non Destructive Testing methods; and to restore finish in accordance with Structural Repair Manual 51-21-16. It has a note that steps #2 and #3 can be deferred for 50 flight hours provided a detailed visual inspection was performed. Step #2 is to perform Non Destructive Testing; which was done. Step #3 is to restore finish. Maintenance placed this section on a 50-hour limited time maintenance tracking per the pending Company Engineering Order #1 which was done in January 2009. This aircraft flew 4 days when it was low on time not to the point of worrying about it. The aircraft ended up in ZZZ2 that night and I thought they were gonna apply the top coat per the Structural Repair Manual. They did not have the proper paint to complete this task; so I found Company Engineering Order #2 which allows you to fly the aircraft to apply the missing paint until convenient check not to exceed the next heavy check. The pending first Company Engineering Order was not even the next Engineering Order in line; the pending Engineering Order which got changed to Company Engineering Order #3 was not updated until January 2009; according to the revision date; and from what I understand is still not signed to this date; which has now been a month. There was no report of changing the Engineering Order in the Maintenance Computer until January 2009. I had Maintenance in ZZZ2 look at the second Engineering Order and had them take the Limited Time Maintenance Tracking and place it on a Long Term Maintenance Item Tracking. From what I am told; this is something that cannot be done. From when this got caught and when the original Limited Time Maintenance Item Tracking was to expire; this was an overfly situation. ZZZ3 Maintenance had gone out to check the aircraft since Engineering did not have the Engineering Order and though the mapping was not giving the proper depth; they had Maintenance do a skin thickness check. When Maintenance got to the aircraft; they discovered that nothing was done for top coat and yet it was signed off as transferred to Long Term Maintenance Item Tracking. Maintenance applied top coat per the Structural Repair Manual and also did the skin thickness check as they were told. The event occurred due to my lack of knowledge in dealing with repair orders; different types of Company Engineering Orders that are allowed and not allowed and when you have a Manufacturer's Engineering Order from Bombardier that you need to go back to get approval to extend a certain task; which I did not do; nor did I know about at the time. Also; Maintenance on the line did not know about this either; or I am sure they would have brought it to my attention at the time of clearing the Limited Line Maintenance Item Tracking and applying the Long Term Maintenance Item Tracking. This might have been caught earlier if the Engineering Order was the proper one at the time and Engineering would have followed up right away with having the correct Engineering Order and had it signed in the proper manner. According to the General Manual 15.2 Part 2; an Engineering Order shall be generated the next business day. To get more knowledge on this type of work; to take the time and to get into the General Manual to look at what is required and not required. I guess to get the time to be able to get into the General Manual like we are supposed to be able to do. Callback conversation with Reporter revealed the following information: Reporter stated he was informed later that he could not deviate from the aircraft Manufacturer's Engineering Order (EO); to apply the top coat to the blended scratch on the fuselage skin pr

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.