A CANADAIR CL65 WAS RPTED BY A FLC ON PREFLT CHK OF BINDING ELEVATORS CAUSED BY SHOP RAG LODGED IN AN ELEVATOR PULLEY.

Narrative

I AM CURRENTLY EMPLOYED AS AN A&P MECH AT COMPANY X AT ZZZ1. AS PART OF MY DUTIES AS A SUPVR; I AM IN CHARGE OF OVERNIGHT MAINT ON TRANSIENT ACFT. FOR COMPANY Y; SATURDAY AND SUNDAY NIGHTS; I COMPLETE THE ASSIGNED WORKLOAD WITH ANOTHER MECH. ON THE NIGHT OF MAY/SUN/02; WE COMPLETED AN LC2 (FIVE CHK 2) AND AN APU 1200 HR INSPECTION ON ACFT X. AFTER COMPLETING THE INSPECTIONS; THE ACFT WAS TOWED OUT OF THE HANGAR TO AWAIT THE ARR OF THE AIR CREW. AFTER THE ARR OF THE AIR CREW; AN APU START WAS ATTEMPTED WITH NEGATIVE RESULTS. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO START THE APU WHICH INVOLVED SEVERAL TRIPS TO THE AFT EQUIP AREA TO ACCESS THE APU ECU; THE APU WAS DEFERRED TO THE MEL SECTION OF THE ACFT LOGBOOK. THE ACFT THEN CRANKED UP AND DEPARTED OUR RAMP. LATER ON THAT MORNING; AT APPROX XA00; WE WERE INFORMED BY COMPANY Y THAT WHILE COMPLETING THEIR THROUGH-FLT CHKS ON THE GND IN ZZZ; THEY EXPERIENCED A BINDING IN THE ELEVATOR CTL SYS. UPON RETURNING TO THE GATE; THE GND PERSONNEL FOUND A SHOP TOWEL LODGED AGAINST ONE OF THE PULLEYS IN THE ELEVATOR CTL SYS. ALTHOUGH THE ORIGIN OF THE SHOP TOWEL IS NOT FOR CERTAIN; IT IS QUITE POSSIBLE THE TOWEL FELL FROM MY POCKETS OR MY TOTE TRAY AND WENT UNNOTICED AS THE ACFT DEPARTED; IN ORDER TO PREVENT THIS FROM RECURRING; WE HAVE IMPLEMENTED THE USE OF A TOOLING/SUPPLY (CONSUMABLES) CHKLIST TO BE USED PRIOR TO AN ACFT DEP TO ENSURE ALL EQUIP IS REMOVED PRIOR TO THE ACFT DEPARTING OUR FACILITY.