 |
37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
A first officer reports finding an unidentified metal tool on the aft side of #2 engine N1 fan blades extending between the stator blades; during a pre-flight walkaround of a B767-300 ETOPS aircraft.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 941028 |
| Time | |
| Date | 201103 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201-1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | ZZZ.Airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Environment | |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Make Model Name | B767-300 and 300 ER |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | Parked |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Component | |
| Aircraft Component | Fan |
| Person 1 | |
| Function | First Officer Pilot Flying |
| Qualification | Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP) |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe Deviation - Procedural Published Material / Policy |
Narrative:
Upon arrival at gate I noticed aircraft had red beacon on. After completing my initial flow for preflight; I noticed an ETOPS release in ACARS; shutoff the red beacon and went outside to preflight. While inspecting the #2 engine from aft; I noticed an oblong object resting behind the #2 engine N1 blades extending between the stator blades. I discontinued prefight and called maintenance control. Mechanics arrived shortly and removed what they described as an extension bar.the aircraft had been towed to the gate from the ramp for our flight. I do not know if the tool in question was left after a maintenance issue; whether or not the tool in question was part of the tool control program; or the extension bar in question was left deliberately as an act of sabotage.certainly if this so-called extension bar is part of the tool control program the appropriate authority needs to investigate why the tool was not reported missing. If the extension bar is not part of the program and is a necessary device; perhaps consideration should be made to including this type of tool in the control program. If this was a deliberate act of sabotage; law enforcement should be involved.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A First Officer reports finding an unidentified metal tool on the aft side of #2 engine N1 fan blades extending between the stator blades; during a pre-flight walkaround of a B767-300 ETOPS aircraft.
Narrative: Upon arrival at gate I noticed aircraft had red beacon on. After completing my initial flow for preflight; I noticed an ETOPS release in ACARS; shutoff the red beacon and went outside to preflight. While inspecting the #2 engine from aft; I noticed an oblong object resting behind the #2 engine N1 blades extending between the stator blades. I discontinued prefight and called Maintenance Control. Mechanics arrived shortly and removed what they described as an extension bar.The aircraft had been towed to the gate from the ramp for our flight. I do not know if the tool in question was left after a maintenance issue; whether or not the tool in question was part of the tool control program; or the extension bar in question was left deliberately as an act of sabotage.Certainly if this so-called extension bar is part of the tool control program the appropriate authority needs to investigate why the tool was not reported missing. If the extension bar is not part of the program and is a necessary device; perhaps consideration should be made to including this type of tool in the control program. If this was a deliberate act of sabotage; law enforcement should be involved.
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.