A B727-200 WAS DISPATCHED WITH TAPE COVERING THE #1 STATIC PORT. TAPE NOT REMOVED AFTER LEAKAGE TEST.

Date: 1997-06 · Aircraft: B727-200

Anomalies: aircraft-equipment-problem-critical|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-far|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-published-material-policy|other-unspecified

Synopsis

A B727-200 WAS DISPATCHED WITH TAPE COVERING THE #1 STATIC PORT. TAPE NOT REMOVED AFTER LEAKAGE TEST.

Narrative

ON THE MORNING OF JUN/XX/97; MY PARTNER AND I WERE CALLED TO A JOB ON A B727 ACFT FOR AN AIRSPD FLAG IN VIEW ON TKOF. THE ACFT HAD TURNED BACK AND WENT TO ONE OF THE GATES FOR MAINT. WHEN WE ARRIVED THERE WERE NO FLAGS IN VIEW. MY PARTNER WENT DOWN TO THE E&E COMPARTMENT TO DO A BITE CHK OF THE AIR DATA COMPUTER. THE CHK TESTED NORMALLY AND STILL THERE WAS NO AIRSPD FLAG IN VIEW AFTERWARDS. MY PARTNER WANTED TO ATTEMPT TO SIMULATE THE AIRSPD ABOVE THE POINT WHERE THE CREW SAID IT HAD FLAGGED AT; SO HE HOOKED UP THE PITOT STATIC TESTER AND DID A LEAK/SYS TEST. WHEN ALL CHKED GOOD WE JUST WAITED FOR THE PART TO ARRIVE. WHEN THE PART DID ARRIVE; MY PARTNER REMOVED IT FROM THE CONTAINER AND TOOK IT UP TO INSTALL IT. I WAITED FOR HIM TO FINISH THE INSTALLATION AND ASKED IF HE WAS READY FOR ME TO GO DOWN AND DO ANOTHER BITE CHK AND 'PUMP UP THE SYS.' AFTER THE ADC BITE WAS GOOD I DID ANOTHER SYS CHK USING THE TEST SET TO MAKE SURE THE FLAG DIDN'T REAPPEAR. WHEN THE TEST WAS COMPLETE AND EVERYTHING CHKED GOOD; I WENT BACK DOWN AND CLOSED UP THE E&E COMPARTMENT. I THEN BEGAN DISCONNECTING THE TEST EQUIP HOSES CONNECTED TO THE L SIDE OF THE ACFT AND REMOVED THE TAPE THAT WAS HOLDING THE STATIC PORT TEST HOSE AND THE TAPE OVER THE PORT ON THE CAPT'S PITOT TUBE. I ROLLED THE HOSES UP AND PUT THEM IN THE CASE. AT THAT POINT ONE OF THE LOAD CREW CAME UP AND ASKED HOW LONG IT WAS GOING TO BE AND WHAT THE PROB WAS; AND WHO HE COULD CONTACT FOR THE DELAY. I TOLD HIM AND THEN TOOK THE PITOT TESTER AND HOSES TO THE TRUCK. THEN I WENT UPSTAIRS TO FINISH THE JOB. MY PARTNER WAS ALMOST DONE SIGNING OFF THE LOGBOOK. WE THEN CALLED OUR SHOP TO CALL THE ACFT UP AND HEADED BACK. AFTER GETTING BACK TO THE SHOP; MY PARTNER ASKED IF I GOT ALL THE TAPE OFF. AND THEN IT DAWNED ON ME THAT I HAD FORGOT TO REMOVE THE TAPE FROM THE CAPT'S STATIC PORT ON THE R SIDE OF THE ACFT. WE NOTIFIED THE LEADS AND THEY CALLED THE TWR; BUT IT WAS TOO LATE; THE ACFT WAS ON TKOF ROLL. WE NOTIFIED THE RECEIVING STATION ABOUT THE TAPE BY ANSWERING MACHINE; THEN BY PHONE TO ONE OF THE MECHS WHEN HE ARRIVED. THE WHOLE SIT WAS RUSHED; IT WAS RAINING; AND THERE WERE MANY DISTRS FROM OTHER PERSONNEL ON THE GND AS WELL AS THE AIRCREW. TO PREVENT THIS FROM RECURRING IN FUTURE I PLAN TO MAKE SURE THAT I HAVE 3 PIECES OF TAPE: 1 FOR THE PITOT TUBE STATIC PORT; 1 FOR THE HOSE OF THE TESTER AT THE STATIC PORT; AND 1 THAT BLOCKS AND OPPOSITE PITOT PORT; EACH AND EVERY TIME I LEAVE A JOB THAT REQUIRES THE PITOT/STATIC TESTER.

More incidents for this aircraft family →

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.