Aircraft technician reported signing off a service bulletin for a rudder position operational check that they did not perform.
Synopsis
Aircraft technician reported signing off a service bulletin for a rudder position operational check that they did not perform.
Narrative
While performing engine runs i had a long list of basic operational test along with some uncommon issues I had not had experience on dealing with; I had both LH and RH engines show leaks with an unknown location along with LH Thrust reverser showing signs of leaking. Engine runs were delayed from plane not being ready when we were told it was ready and then the shift prior to mine worked on 2 fuel panels that were leaking for their 12hr shift I had to finish refueling the AC while my right seat was cleaning both engine off of left over fluid. After we were done we had started our routine engine runs while I monitored engine performance and engine fluid during runs. After runs I had opened the engines with my right seat and found LH engine was just residual fluid that had not been cleaned up from possible past maintenance and showed no more signs of leaking and however the RH engine was cover in oil again. I had to print out my manual for leak check of engine fluid and followed my manual for running engines at 85% takeoff power which was at current pressure altitude the climb detent; we ran engines for the designated time and on my way back I performed a QA card for matching NWS with rudder pedal input; the results had me question if they were correct but there was no reference on the card for me to match so I decided I would look into when I got back to the hanger. When I had gotten back into the hanger and pulled the plane back in we check our RH engine which showed it was still leaking somewhere. We had used prior about 3/4 of a quart of oil and so I printed out a few different manuals for my turn over to look into and started signing off all my paperwork at about XA AM. Once I got to my rudder pedal input card I convinced myself it was right and I signed it off and then was asked about our SB for rudder pedal input which I had not done that ops test specifically but the test is identical to operating on the runway just with the NWS scissors disconnected and someone watching so I signed off that paperwork as well because engine runs are always a jungle if tests and we try to do multiple in one go to save some time but still doing the jobs effectively. When I had found that during the pilots taking the plane they noticed the NWS was backwards with rudder pedal input only and the was and investigation happening to determine what had happened I had looked into what I did and found I passed the check when it was incorrect and I made a statement telling what I did as well as my high stress with all I needed to get done so we can get the plane out because we are always behind on planes leaving and I had stated how I had falling into a human factors situation and I was my fault I didn't catch it as well as having other distractions such as persistent problems that I had not seen before and how I was concentrating on them instead of other problems that I did not know where there. Their corrective action was to make the QA card and the SB card both fully RII items and they had also terminated me; the person who installed the Rotary Variable Differential Transformer (RVDT) after the rudder feel unit SB was done and the inspector who signed everything off.
More incidents for this aircraft family →
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.