A B767-300 WAS DISPATCHED AFTER HVY MAINT WAS PERFORMED WITH A CARGO COMPARTMENT CEILING PANEL IMPROPERLY REPAIRED.

Narrative

ON THE NIGHT OF DEC/XX/97 I WAS PART OF A GROUP OF MECHS ASSIGNED TO PERFORM A LAYOVER INSPECTION ON ACFT YYY; A B767-ER THAT ACR PURCHASED FROM XYZ. THIS ACFT WAS FLOWN UP FROM THE MAINT FACILITY; XXX; WHERE IT HAD UNDERGONE EXTENSIVE MODIFICATIONS. THIS BEING THE CASE; I PERFORMED ONLY A CURSORY INSPECTION OF THE CARGO COMPARTMENT FOR CONDITION AND SECURITY; AS I BELIEVED THE CARGO COMPARTMENT HAD BEEN INSPECTED AND REPAIRED AS NECESSARY AS PART OF ITS PRESVC CHKS WHILE AT XXX. BECAUSE I DID NOT SEE ANY 'BIG PIECES' MISSING; I BELIEVED THE CARGO COMPARTMENT WAS OK FOR SVC. UPON INSPECTION; THE FAA INSPECTOR FOUND SOME OF THE JOINT SEALING TAPE WAS LOOSE; AND A COMPARTMENT LIGHT TRIM RING WAS FOUND TO BE UNSECURED; CAUSING THE CEILING PANEL TO SAG. THE UNSECURED TRIM RING AND THE LOOSE TAPE WERE PROBABLY A RESULT OF BEING REMOVED WHILE AT XXX; AND NOT BEING PROPERLY DOCUMENTED; THEY WERE NEVER REINSTALLED. SEVERAL OTHER MECHANICS HAD BEEN IN THE CARGO COMPARTMENTS AT ONE POINT OR ANOTHER; AND NONE HAD NOTED THE DEFECTS; HOWEVER; NONE OF US EXPECTED TO FIND PROBS LIKE THIS FROM AN ACFT THAT HAD JUST UNDERGONE MAJOR MAINT AND HAD NOT YET BEEN PUT BACK INTO SVC.