A B777-200 WAS DISPATCHED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH A FLT CTL STATUS MESSAGE CLRED BY CLEANING THE R INBOARD FLAPERON CONNECTOR. REQUIRED FAA INSPECTION NOT ACCOMPLISHED.

Narrative

ACFT WAS DEPARTING ON FLT WITH A SCHEDULED DEP TIME OF XA35. AT XA30 WITH DOORS CLOSED; WE WERE CALLED BACK TO THE ACFT FOR A FLT CTL SYS STATUS MESSAGE. WE ASKED FOR THE JETWAY TO BE PUT BACK ON AND THE MEL WAS CHKED AND VERIFIED THE ITEM WAS A NO-GO. WHEN I ENTERED THE FLT DECK AND CHKED; I FOUND MAINT MESSAGE ACTIVE. I TRIED THE TEST THAT WAS SHOWN WHILE MY COLLEAGUE PRINTED OUT THE INFO. THE TEST FAILED AND I TRIED REPLACING PER MANUAL AND RETESTED AND FAILED. I THEN REMOVED R INBOARD FLAPERON CANNON PLUG PER MANUAL AND FOUND IT DIRTY. I CLEANED AND REINSTALLED THE PLUG; REINSTALLED ORIGINAL AND RETESTED THE SYS AND IT PASSED. AFTER MY COLLEAGUE HAD CLRED THE ITEM; I RELEASED THE ACFT AND IT DEPARTED AT APPROX XC00. ON MY WAY TO WORK THE NEXT MORNING; I SUDDENLY REALIZED THAT THE CANNON PLUG SHOULD HAVE BEEN INSPECTED. I GOT TO WORK AND VERIFIED ON THE COMPUTER THAT THIS WAS THE CASE AND WENT OVER TO OUR MAINT CTLR. I ASKED THE CTLR IF HE COULD ENTER A REQUEST TO HAVE AN INSPECTION ACCOMPLISHED ON THE PLUG BEFORE ANY FURTHER FLT. THE ACFT WAS STILL AT ZZZ1 AND A DUPLICATE INSPECTION WAS ACCOMPLISHED AND THE ITEM CLRED. I SHOULD HAVE REALIZED AT THE TIME THAT REMOVING A PLUG ON A FLT CTL PCU REQUIRED AN INSPECTION JUST AS MUCH AS IT WOULD HAVE BEEN REQUIRED HAD THE PCU BEEN REPLACED.