TECHNICIAN WORKING ON AN MD80 INSPECTION AND LUBRICATION OF THE HORIZ STABILIZER JACKSCREW FAILED TO USE THE REQUIRED ACME THREAD CLEANING TOOL.
Synopsis
TECHNICIAN WORKING ON AN MD80 INSPECTION AND LUBRICATION OF THE HORIZ STABILIZER JACKSCREW FAILED TO USE THE REQUIRED ACME THREAD CLEANING TOOL.
Narrative
ACCOMPLISHING OF FAA AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE MCM X. THREAD CLEANING TOOL NOT AVAILABLE. ON APR/SUN/05; I MADE A JUDGEMENT CALL TO CLEAN THE JACKSCREW THREADS AND VALLEYS ON ACFT X WITH RAGS. I MADE THIS DECISION BECAUSE THE PROPER THREAD CLEANING TOOL AS PER CARD WAS NOT AVAILABLE. I REALIZE THAT I SHOULD HAVE BROUGHT THIS TO THE ATTN OF MY SUPVR. ON APR/SUN/05 I COMPLETED WORK CARD X AND FOUND A FINE RESIDUE OF GREASE EXISTED ON THE JACKSCREW THREADS AND RPTED IT AS OK PER CARD. I PERFORMED A THOROUGH INSPECTION OF THE HORIZ STABILIZER ACTUATOR JACKSCREW INSTALLATION. THIS INCLUDED THE UPPER AND LOWER SCREW AND NUT ROTATIONAL STOPS FOR DAMAGE. I INSPECTED FOR MISSING OR BROKEN SAFETY WIRE ON THE TORQUE TUBE NUT AT LOWER END OF THE SCREW. I ALSO INSPECTED FOR CORROSION OR DAMAGE OF THE SCREW THREADS. I RPTED THAT THE FINDINGS WERE OK. I INSPECTED FOR METAL FRAGMENTS/SHAVINGS AND RPTED FINDINGS AS 'NO.' I LUBRICATED THE HORIZ STABILIZER ACTUATOR ASSEMBLY. I MOVED THE HORIZ STABILIZER TO THE FULL ACFT NOSE DOWN (AND) POS. I APPLIED GREASE TO THE ACME NUT LUBE FITTING UNTIL ONLY NEW GREASE SHOWED AT THE TOP OF THE NUT. I CLEANED THE EXPOSED ACME SCREW AND VALLEYS WITH RAGS. (THIS IS WHERE THE PROPER THREAD CLEANING TOOL SHOULD HAVE BEEN USED.) I MOVED THE HORIZ STABILIZER THE FULL ACFT NOSE UP (ANU) POS. I THEN CLEANED THE EXPOSED ACME SCREW WITH CLEAN; DRY RAGS TO REMOVE AS MUCH GREASE AS POSSIBLE. (THIS IS WHERE THE PROPER THREAD CLEANING TOOL SHOULD HAVE BEEN USED.) I LUBRICATED THE HORIZ STABILIZER ACTUATOR ASSEMBLY BY PUTTING A LIBERAL COAT OF GREASE AROUND THE EXPOSED ACME SCREW AND VALLEYS. I MOVED THE HORIZ STABILIZER TO THE FULL ACFT NOSE DOWN (AND) POS. I LUBRICATED ALL OF THE REMAINING LUBE FITTINGS AS PER CARD AND CYCLED TO FULL UP AND DOWN POS 1 TIME. I REMOVED THE EXCESS GREASE FROM THE UPPER AND LOWER STOPS ON THE JACKSCREW WITH CLEAN; DRY RAGS. I PERFORMED TEST OF HORIZ SHUT OFF AS CTLS AS PER CARD AND TESTED OK. I HAVE BEEN INVOLVED WITH THE 'B' CHK CARDS X AND Y SINCE THEY WERE REQUIRED AT 'B' CHK. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I WORKED THE REVISION DATE OF APR/WED/05 FOR X CARD. TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE; I BELIEVE I DID A THOROUGH AND COMPLETE CLEANING OF THE ACME THREADS AND VALLEYS WITH THE CLEAN; DRY RAGS. SINCE I DID NOT USE THE PROPER TOOK REQUIRED; I FELT AN OBLIGATION TO MYSELF AS AN A&P AND TO THE SAFETY OF THE ACFT TO RPT THIS. ACTION TAKEN: THOROUGH AND COMPLETE CLEANING OF THREADS AND VALLEYS WITH CLEAN; DRY RAGS. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: GREASE REMOVAL TOOL NOT AVAILABLE. THE PREVIOUS WAY OF CLEANING JACKSCREW WAS WITH RAGS; BEFORE THE APR/WED/05 REVISION.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.