A B747-400 WAS DISPATCHED AND FLOWN WITH THE CTR FUEL TANK FUEL PICKUPS BLOCKED AND RESTR BY RUBBER SURGICAL GLOVES LEFT BY TANK MECHS.

Narrative

ON NOV/XA/97; ACFT WAS INVOLVED IN AN INCIDENT ON FLT XYZ IN WHICH DIFFICULTY IN FUEL XFER FROM THE CTR TANK WAS EXPERIENCED. UPON RETURNING TO YYY MAINT CTR ON NOV/XB/97; THE RAMP OPENED THE CTR TANK TO FIND RUBBER SURGICAL GLOVES AROUND THE FUEL PICKUPS. ACFT HAD BEEN RELEASED FROM ZZZ MAINT CTR ON OCT/XX/97; AFTER COMPLETION OF MPV. IN ADDITION TO ROUTINE MAINT AND CLOSE UP THE CTR TANK WAS REOPENED AND CLOSED SEVERAL TIMES. AS AN ACFT INSPECTOR I WAS INVOLVED IN CLRING INITIAL CLOSE UP OF THE CTR TANK. AS I STATED IN A STATEMENT GIVEN TO MY SUPVR I DETECTED NO RUBBER SURGICAL GLOVES UPON INSPECTION AND CLRNC TO CLOSE. THE TANK WAS REOPENED 2 MORE TIMES TO REPAIR LEAKS. I WAS NOT INVOLVED IN CLOSE UP AT THOSE 2 OTHER TIMES. ALTHOUGH NORMAL CLRNC PROCS SHOULD HAVE FOUND FOREIGN OBJECTS; THE SURGICAL GLOVES BECOME ALMOST TRANSPARENT WHEN WET AND PALE YELLOW/WHITE WHEN DRY YIELDING A LACK OF VISUAL CONTRAST WITH THE TOP COAT INSIDE THE TANK. PERHAPS SPECIAL HIGH VISIBILITY COLOR GLOVES COULD BE USED ONLY FOR FUEL TANK ENTRY AND SPECIAL ISSUE AND ACCOUNTABILITY SHOULD BE IMPLEMENTED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT HAD THE FINAL CLOSE UP INSPECTION BEEN DONE CORRECTLY THIS INCIDENT WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED. THE RPTR SAID THE PROC IS TO ENTER THE TANK WITH THE MECH AND AS YOU LEAVE EACH BAY AND PRIOR TO PLATE CLOSURE ALL DIRT; DEBRIS AND FOREIGN MATTER IS REMOVED AND SIGNED FOR ON THE JOB CARD. THE RPTR STATED THERE WERE TWO MORE TANK ENTRIES AFTER THE RPTR'S INSPECTION DUE TO LEAKS AFTER FUELING THE TANK.