A CANADAIR RJ WAS RETURNED TO SVC IN NON COMPLIANCE AFTER #2 ENG FAN BLADE DAMAGE REPAIR. BLADES NOT REPLACED WERE IMPROPERLY INSPECTED.

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THE REASON I AM SUBMITTING THIS RPT IS TO INFORM NASA OF ENG COMPONENTS I INADVERTENTLY IMPROPERLY INSPECTED AND RETURNED TO SVC. I AM AN A&P MECH EMPLOYED BY THE COMPANY X STATIONED AT THEIR ZZZ1 MAINT FACILITY. THIS IS WHAT TOOK PLACE: ON DEC/FRI/03; ON ONE OF OUR CL600 CANADAIR REGIONAL JETS; DEPARTING FROM WASHINGTON; WE INGESTED BIRDS IN THE #2 ENG. THE ACFT MADE AN IMMEDIATE RETURN. I WAS SENT FROM THE ZZZ1 MAINT FACILITY ON DEC/FRI/03 AT XA30 HRS WITH ONE OF OUR INSPECTORS TO INSPECT AND REPAIR AN ENG THAT HAD INGESTED BIRDS. WE TRAVELED IN A CHARTERED BEECH KING AIR. THE TRIP TOOK ABOUT 3 HRS. WE ARRIVED AT THE ACFT TO BE REPAIRED AT APPROX XD00 HRS CST. IT WAS PARKED IN THE MAINT HANGAR. WE IMMEDIATELY BEGAN WORKING ON THE ACFT. THE INSPECTOR PERFORMED THE BIRD STRIKE INSPECTION ON THE AIRFRAME AND ITS SYS AND ON THE #1 ENG WHILE I PERFORMED THE BIRD STRIKE INSPECTION ON THE ENG. THIS IS WHERE I INADVERTENTLY IMPROPERLY INSPECTED THE ENG COMPONENTS. THE ACFT MAINT MANUAL REQUIRES THAT ALL PORTIONS OF THE FAN BLADES BE VISUALLY INSPECTED. I ONLY INSPECTED THE AIRFOIL SECTIONS OF THE FAN BLADES; INADVERTENTLY NEGLECTING THE ATTACHMENT AREAS OF THE FAN BLADES WHICH HAD NO VISIBLE DAMAGE TO THEIR AIRFOIL SECTIONS. THE DAMAGED FAN BLADES WERE REMOVED AND REPLACED; 18 TOTAL; WITH 9 BALANCED PAIRS OF BLADES. THE 10 REMAINING FAN BLADES WHICH HAD NO DAMAGE TO THEIR AIRFOIL SECTIONS WERE LEFT IN PLACE. THE INSPECTOR AND I THEN TAXIED THE ACFT TO AN ENG RUN-UP AREA TO DO THE BAL AND PWR ASSURANCE RUNS ON THE #1 AND #2 ENGS. BOTH ENGS PERFORMED WELL WITHIN THE ACFT MAINT MANUALS PARAMETERS. THE MAINT ACTIONS TOOK WERE PROPERLY ENTERED INTO THE ACFT LOGBOOK AND THE JOB WAS FINISHED. WE RETURNED ON THE MORNING OF DEC/SAT/03. I WAS REVIEWING THE WORK I DID WITH A FELLOW MECH WHEN I REALIZED THE ERROR I MADE. I IMMEDIATELY NOTIFIED COMPANY MGMNT ON DEC/SUN/03; OF THE ERROR AND THEY MADE ARRANGEMENTS TO GET THE ACFT TO A MAINT BASE WHERE THE UNCHANGED FAN BLADES COULD BE PROPERLY INSPECTED. FACTORS I BELIEVE CONTRIBUTED TO MY NOT PROPERLY INSPECTING THE FAN BLADES ARE: APPROX 1 HR INTO THE JOB; THE ACFT WAS REMOVED FROM THE HANGAR AND PARKED OUTSIDE TO ALLOW COMPANY Y TO WORK ON THEIR ACFT INDOORS. THE FAN BLADE INSTALLATION HAD TO BE FINISHED OUTDOORS; AT NIGHT; WITH ONLY FLASHLIGHTS FOR ILLUMINATION; IN 20 DEG WX. I FEEL THAT FATIGUE WAS AN IMPORTANT FACTOR AS WELL. WHEN I STARTED WORKING ON THE ACFT; I HAD BEEN AT WORK FOR APPROX 13 HRS. ADDITIONALLY; I BELIEVE THE ENDEAVOR WAS NOT PROPERLY STAFFED. THE FAN BLADE REMOVAL AND INSTALLATION PROCESS IS A 2 MECH JOB. 2 MECHS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCE DOING THIS JOB. THE INSPECTOR HAD NO EXPERIENCE REMOVING AND REPLACING FAN BLADES; NOR DID HE HAVE TOOLS TO USE ON THE JOB. I BELIEVE THE REASON THE COMPANY DID NOT SEND 2 MECHS IS; THE MAINT FACILITY MIGHT BE UNDERSTAFFED.