A FOKKER 100 WAS DISPATCHED AND OPERATED IN NON COMPLIANCE FOR TWO YRS WITH TWO CARGO COMPARTMENT FIRE EXTINGUISHER BOTTLE CONNECTORS DISCONNECTED.

Narrative

ACFT WAS FOUND TO HAVE 2 CANNON PLUGS FOR CARGO FIRE BOTTLE DISCONNECTED AND NOT SAFETIED DURING OPEN UP OF CURRENT VISIT AT ZZZ1. MY SIGNATURE WAS ON A ACCOMPLISHMENT PORTION OF WORK CARD FROM LAST VISIT 2 YRS AGO I DO NOT SPECIFICALLY REMEMBER THIS VISIT; BUT DO REMEMBER DOING THAT CHECK MANY TIMES. I SIGNED THE WORK CARD; BUT DO NOT RECALL WHETHER MY PARTNER OR MYSELF ACTUALLY CONNECTED AND SAFETIED THE OTHER BOTTLES I SHOULD NOT HAVE SIGNED THE BOX FOR THE WHOLE CHECK WITHOUT FIRST MAKING SURE THE CANNON PLUGS WERE RECONNECTED. IN RETROSPECT; IT IS UNFORTUNATE THAT THIS WAS NOT NOTICED ON CLOSE UP. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED AN INVESTIGATION WAS HELD AND THE RPTR WAS ADVISED MAINT RECORDS INDICATED THIS INVOLVEMENT WITH INSTALLING AND TESTING THE FORWARD CARGO FIRE EXTINGUISHER BOTTLES. THE RPTR SAID THE RECORDS WERE TWO YRS OLD AND COULD REMEMBER LITTLE OR NOTHING OF THE JOB; BUT IT WAS HIS INITIALS ON THE JOB CARD. THE RPTR STATED THE SYSTEM IS TESTED FROM THE COCKPIT AND TESTS THE WIRING CIRCUIT; BUT NOT THE BOTTLE SQUIB. THE RPTR SAID THE ONLY WORK ACCOMPLISHED IN THE AREA OF THE BOTTLES AFTER LEAVING THE HEAVY MAINT CHECK WAS A SHEET METAL REPAIR. THE RPTR STATED A LARGE FUSELAGE SKIN REPAIR 2 FT BY 2 FT WAS ACCOMPLISHED AND THE BOTTLES HAD TO BE REMOVED FOR ACCESS AND THIS IS WHERE THE PLUGS MAY HAVE BEEN DISCONNECTED AND NOT RECONNECTED. THE RPTR SAID PAPERWORK ON THE SHEET METAL REPAIR WAS CHECKED AND NO WRITE-UPS WERE MADE FOR THE BOTTLE REMOVAL; REINSTALLATION AND TEST. THE RPTR STATED THIS IS NORMAL AS THE SHEET METAL REPAIR WAS ACCOMPLISHED USING A STRUCTURES ENGINEER WRITTEN REPAIR AND NORMALLY STARTS OUT AS 'GAIN ACCESS TO THE INTERIOR SKIN AND STRINGERS' THE RPTR SAID GAINING ACCESS TO THE INTERIOR SKIN AND STRINGERS MEANT BOTTLE REMOVAL.