FAA INSPECTOR FOUND 35 LOOSE COWLING SCREWS ON THE L ENG COWLING GENERATOR COOLING DUCT DURING A POSTFLT INSPECTION OF AN ACR LTT TURBOPROP.
Synopsis
FAA INSPECTOR FOUND 35 LOOSE COWLING SCREWS ON THE L ENG COWLING GENERATOR COOLING DUCT DURING A POSTFLT INSPECTION OF AN ACR LTT TURBOPROP.
Narrative
ON MAR/XX/97; MYSELF AND CAPT WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR FLT FROM GRI TO DEN. UPON ARR IN DEN THE FAA NOTICED 35 SCREWS BEING LOOSE ON THE L ENG STARTER GENERATOR COOLING DUCT COWLING. AS PER OUR OP SPECS WE ARE TO ARRIVE 1 HR PRIOR TO DEP FOR PREFLT AND RUNUP PROCS. DUE TO A MIXUP IN MY SCHEDULE (MY FAULT) I WAS LATE FOR THE PREFLT AND RUNUP. WHEN I ARRIVED 15 MINS PRIOR TO DEP; I DISCUSSED THE PREFLT WITH MY CAPT. HE STATED THAT HE PERFORMED THE PREFLT. I DOUBLECHKED THE 'FLT CAN' AND SAW THAT ALL THE PROCS WERE CHKED OFF. AFTER LEARNING OF THE PROB IN DEN THE CAPT AND I DISCUSSED THE PREFLT WALKAROUND. HE SAID HE CHKED THE HYD RESERVOIR DOOR; WHICH WAS SECURE. WITH THE PLACEMENT OF THE HYD RESERVOIR DOOR BEING SO CLOSE TO THE PANEL SCREWS WE WERE CONFIDENT THAT ALL SCREWS WERE FLUSH WITH THE SURFACE AT OUR DEP. SUBSEQUENT CONVERSATIONS WITH OTHER MECHS HAVE SHOWN US THAT THE SCREWS CAN BE FLUSH WITHOUT BEING FASTENED. A RECHK OF MY FLT SCHEDULE THE NIGHT BEFORE IS THE BEST WAY TO MAKE SURE I SHOW ON TIME FOR THE PREFLT. ALSO POSSIBLY BETTER COM WITH MECHS WOULD BE A WAY TO CUT DOWN ON INCIDENTS AS THIS ONE. THE CAPT OF THE FLT WILL ALSO BE ALSO.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.