Narrative:

November 2011. Early a.M. - Finishing CAT ii job card/toga check only with digital pitot-static dps-450 air data test system (adts). Turnover from 3rd shift: pitot probe on right side replaced due to suspected leak but 'no fix'; system failure still the same (dps-450 airspeed set to 85 KTS but pfd-1 and -2 indicating 77 and 72 KTS respectively). Third shift relieved and went home; I swapped pitot probe adaptors from another test kit and using same dps-450 [tester unit]; set airspeed to 85 KTS and noted pfd-1 and -2 now both reading 85 KTS.[I] completed toga check portion of job card satisfactorily. [I] verified leak check of right-hand (rh) pitot probe; good per aircraft maintenance manual (amm). Removed pitot probe adaptors and black electrician's tape wrapped around left and right side S2 ports (usually used to get a better seal on the probe adaptors). I also checked the angle of attack (aoa) vanes and noted black electrician's tape was used to hold them at '0' degrees for the CAT ii job card. I missed the black electrician's tape around the S1 port on the left side as we normally don't apply it there. Aircraft flew three legs and; inbound on last leg; pilot reported EFIS comp mon EICAS message [master caution on pfd output] and an altitude split of 250 ft between pfd-1 and pfd-2. Maintenance personnel met aircraft at the gate and noted black electrician's tape burned on left pitot probe around the S1 port. Pitot/static probe replaced and aircraft returned to service. [I was informed by] my operations manager.I accept full responsibility since I should have performed a more detailed inspection of the probes once I had removed the probe adaptors and black electrician's tape. I believe the color of the electrician's tape made it easier to miss and especially on the aoa vanes. Red flags should be attached to the pitot/static probes and the aoa vanes when performing tests on these items. Only red (or white/contrasting) tape should be used for the purpose served by the black electrician's tape to add an extra measure of safety and observation. Left side pitot/static probe was replaced by maintenance; tested and aircraft returned to service. Suggest 'red' flags should be attached to/near the pitot/static probes; static ports and the aoa vanes when performing tests on these items using probe adaptors and/or the dps-450 [tester]. The 'red' flags are only removed after inspecting the pitot/static probes and static ports. Only red (or white/contrasting) tape should be used (for the purpose served by the black electrician's tape in this case) to add an extra measure of safety and observation..

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A Lead Mechanic involved with finishing up a CAT2 Job Card/TOGA Check; suggests only 'Red' or 'White' Contrasting type tape should be used to secure test adapters on Pitot-Static System probes and AOA vanes. He missed a piece of 'Black' tape that melted on a CRJ-900 left pitot probe at the S1 port causing an inflight Master Caution EICAS message.

Narrative: November 2011. Early A.M. - Finishing CAT II Job Card/TOGA Check only with Digital Pitot-Static DPS-450 Air Data Test System (ADTS). Turnover from 3rd Shift: Pitot probe on right side replaced due to suspected leak but 'no fix'; system failure still the same (DPS-450 Airspeed set to 85 KTS but PFD-1 and -2 indicating 77 and 72 KTS respectively). Third Shift relieved and went home; I swapped Pitot Probe Adaptors from another test kit and using same DPS-450 [tester unit]; set Airspeed to 85 KTS and noted PFD-1 and -2 now both reading 85 KTS.[I] completed TOGA Check portion of Job Card satisfactorily. [I] verified Leak Check of Right-Hand (RH) Pitot Probe; good per Aircraft Maintenance Manual (AMM). Removed Pitot Probe Adaptors and black Electrician's tape wrapped around left and right side S2 ports (usually used to get a better seal on the Probe Adaptors). I also checked the Angle of Attack (AOA) vanes and noted black Electrician's tape was used to hold them at '0' degrees for the CAT II Job Card. I missed the black Electrician's tape around the S1 port on the left side as we normally don't apply it there. Aircraft flew three legs and; inbound on last leg; pilot reported EFIS COMP MON EICAS message [Master Caution on PFD Output] and an altitude split of 250 FT between PFD-1 and PFD-2. Maintenance personnel met aircraft at the gate and noted black Electrician's tape burned on Left Pitot Probe around the S1 port. Pitot/Static Probe replaced and aircraft returned to service. [I was informed by] my Operations Manager.I accept full responsibility since I should have performed a more detailed inspection of the Probes once I had removed the Probe Adaptors and black Electrician's tape. I believe the color of the Electrician's tape made it easier to miss and especially on the AOA vanes. Red Flags should be attached to the Pitot/Static Probes and the AOA vanes when performing tests on these items. Only Red (or White/Contrasting) Tape should be used for the purpose served by the black Electrician's tape to add an extra measure of safety and observation. Left Side Pitot/Static Probe was replaced by Maintenance; tested and aircraft returned to service. Suggest 'Red' Flags should be attached to/near the Pitot/Static Probes; Static Ports and the AOA vanes when performing tests on these items using Probe Adaptors and/or the DPS-450 [tester]. The 'Red' Flags are only removed after inspecting the Pitot/Static Probes and Static Ports. Only Red (or White/Contrasting) Tape should be used (for the purpose served by the black Electrician's tape in this case) to add an extra measure of safety and observation..

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.