Impropter maintenance procedure result in loss of oil on torque tube assembly.

Attributes
ACN	99870
Time
Date	198811
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : 5la3
State Reference	LA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
ASRS Report	99870
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

While replacing the freewheeling unit on a helicopter the nuts on the aft cap were inadvertently left off. I had noticed the drag torque of the retaining nuts was insufficient while installing the cap assembly, and went to get some new ones. However before I returned to install the new hardware I was distracted by another job in progress on the tail rotor. Three separate checks by myself and a ground leak check failed to uncover the fact that the nuts were not installed. The aircraft developed a leak in flight. Thinking back I feel I went through the motions of double checking the work, leak checking the aircraft, but I was tired and rushed and just did not see what was staring me in the face. Callback conversation with reporter revealed following information. The pilot was able to land the helicopter when the problem surfaced west/O any problem. FAA was not contacted reference the incident. Company management did take action against the reporter and suggested he file the ASRS report. Everything is ok now and feels the incident is closed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: IMPROPTER MAINTENANCE PROC RESULT IN LOSS OF OIL ON TORQUE TUBE ASSEMBLY.

Narrative: WHILE REPLACING THE FREEWHEELING UNIT ON A HELI THE NUTS ON THE AFT CAP WERE INADVERTENTLY LEFT OFF. I HAD NOTICED THE DRAG TORQUE OF THE RETAINING NUTS WAS INSUFFICIENT WHILE INSTALLING THE CAP ASSEMBLY, AND WENT TO GET SOME NEW ONES. HOWEVER BEFORE I RETURNED TO INSTALL THE NEW HARDWARE I WAS DISTRACTED BY ANOTHER JOB IN PROGRESS ON THE TAIL ROTOR. THREE SEPARATE CHKS BY MYSELF AND A GND LEAK CHK FAILED TO UNCOVER THE FACT THAT THE NUTS WERE NOT INSTALLED. THE ACFT DEVELOPED A LEAK IN FLT. THINKING BACK I FEEL I WENT THROUGH THE MOTIONS OF DOUBLE CHKING THE WORK, LEAK CHKING THE ACFT, BUT I WAS TIRED AND RUSHED AND JUST DID NOT SEE WHAT WAS STARING ME IN THE FACE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED FOLLOWING INFO. THE PLT WAS ABLE TO LAND THE HELI WHEN THE PROB SURFACED W/O ANY PROB. FAA WAS NOT CONTACTED REFERENCE THE INCIDENT. COMPANY MGMNT DID TAKE ACTION AGAINST THE RPTR AND SUGGESTED HE FILE THE ASRS RPT. EVERYTHING IS OK NOW AND FEELS THE INCIDENT IS CLOSED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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.