MAINT PROC -- ACR MECH USES AN UNAUTH DOWN LOCK PIN DURING A MAINT PROC; BUT HE FORGETS TO REMOVE THIS PIN AND IT IS DISCOVERED LATER.

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ON JUN/FRI/95 AT ABOUT XA30 AM I WAS ASSIGNED TO SVC THE NOSE STRUT ON AN ACR ACFT. I PULLED UP THE MAINT MANUAL 12-15-02. I PRINTED THE MAINT MANUAL AND TOOK THE MAINT MANUAL AND TOOLS OUT TO THE PLANE. USING THE HYDRO-MITE TO SVC THE STRUT; I STARTED THE PROC WHILE READING THE MAINT MANUAL. I READ THAT I WAS TO INSTALL A DOWN LOCK PIN. TRYING TO SAVE TIME FROM RUNNING BACK TO THE TOOL CRIB TO GET A DOWN LOCK PIN; I INSTALLED A BRASS DRIFT PIN IN THE DOWN LOCK HOLES FOR SAFETY. I SERVICED THE STRUT PER MAINT MANUAL 12-15-02. AFTER DISCONNECTING THE HYDRO-MITE; I DOUBLE-CHKED MY WORK TO MAKE SURE THE SCHRADER VALVE WAS TORQUED. I CLEANED UP THE AREA. AT THIS TIME I FORGOT TO REMOVE THE SAFETY PIN I INSTALLED. I RETURNED TO THE READY ROOM FOR MY NEXT ASSIGNMENT; AFTER I SIGNED OFF MY PAPERWORK. FORGETTING THE PIN I INSTALLED CAN BE RELATED TO WORKING THE NIGHT SHIFT; WHICH SOMETIMES YOU JUST DON'T GET THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF SLEEP OR UNINTERRUPTED SLEEP. I HAVE 3 YOUNG BOYS AND SOMETIMES IT'S HARD. JUN/THU/95 I HAD TO TAKE MY OLDEST SON INTO THE DOCTOR'S OFFICE TO HAVE HIS HAND SET AND CASTED; WHICH HE BROKE. HAVING MAYBE TOO MUCH ON MY MIND; LACK OF SLEEP AND THE HVY WORKLOADS; I MADE A MISTAKE; I FORGOT THE PIN. I KNOW I REALLY LEARNED A LESSON. NEED MORE SLEEP; DOUBLE AND TRIPLE CHK MY WORK; AND NO SHORT CUTS NO MATTER HOW HVY THE WORKLOAD.