MECH FOR AN FK100 SIGNED OFF THE ACFT LOG FOR A DEFERRED MEL ITEM AFTER PERFORMING A PRESSURIZATION HULL LEAK TEST AND HIS SUPVR DIRECTING HIM TO SIGN OFF AND DISPATCH THE ACFT FOR SVC.

Narrative

ACFT ARRIVED FOR REMAIN OVERNIGHT MAINT INCLUDING TECH SVC ITEM TO 'PRESSURIZE AND DO AN LK DOWN CK.' THIS ACFT HAD A LONG HISTORY IN THIS AREA GOING BACK AT LEAST 3 WKS PRIOR. ACFT DID NOT MEET LEAK DOWN LIMITS AND WAS DISPATCHED UNDER SAME MEL THAT IT ARRIVED WITH. MAINT TECH SVC WAS ADVISED OF TEST FINDINGS AND FAILURE. LCL MGMNT WAS ALSO INFORMED. I WAS ADVISED TO MAKE MAINT LOG ENTRY RPTING TEST FINDINGS WHICH WAS DONE WITH MAINT ITEM LEFT 'OPEN' WITH VARIOUS SEALS PROGRAMMED FOR REPLACEMENT. ACFT DISPATCHED UNDER SAME MEL IT ARRIVED WITH AND BEEN IN SVC WITH. ACFT WAS TAKEN OTS LATER TO BE REPAIRED. A QUESTION AROSE AT THAT TIME -- 'SHOULD ACFT HAVE STAYED IN SVC?' FOKKER MAINT MANUAL UNCLR ON THAT POINT AND SOME MEL'S UNCLR AS TO DISPATCH WHEN CERTAIN SYS 'FAULT.' CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT IN FACT THE LEAK TEST DID FALL WITHIN THE TIME LIMITS SPECIFIED FOR THE TEST; BUT THAT IT CONCERNED HIM SINCE THE ACFT WAS TAKEN OTS AT THE NEXT STATION. HOWEVER; HE NOW BELIEVES THAT HE HAS MADE A BIGGER PROB OUT OF THIS THAN SHOULD HAVE BEEN. HE FURTHER STATED THAT HE REALIZES THAT THERE ARE ALWAYS SOME JUDGEMENT CALLS TO BE MADE AND THAT EVERYTHING IS NOT READILY APPARENT.