C208 WAS DISPATCHED WITH THE STANDBY FLAP SWITCH GUARDS INSTALLED INCORRECTLY. PLT INADVERTENTLY BUMPED SWITCH GUARD AND DEPLOYED FLAPS INFLT.
Synopsis
C208 WAS DISPATCHED WITH THE STANDBY FLAP SWITCH GUARDS INSTALLED INCORRECTLY. PLT INADVERTENTLY BUMPED SWITCH GUARD AND DEPLOYED FLAPS INFLT.
Narrative
ON SEP/FRI/05 AT APPROX XA00; I WAS CHARGED WITH THE TASK OF REPLACING THE PLT'S UPPER CONSOLE LIGHT ON A C208 CARAVAN WHICH REQUIRES REMOVAL OF THE UPPER CONSOLE AND STANDBY FLAP SWITCH COVERS (2 EACH). WITH MY SUPVR WITH ME; I REMOVED THE UPPER CONSOLE AND REPLACED THE LAMP. I THEN REINSTALLED THE UPPER CONSOLE AND STANDBY SWITCH COVERS (2 EACH). DUE TO THIS BEING THE FIRST TIME PERFORMING THIS TASK; I INADVERTENTLY SWITCHED THE STANDBY SWITCH COVERS UPON REINSTALLATION. HOWEVER; THE COVERS STILL CLOSED AND I WAS ABLE TO SAFETY WIRE THE COVERS. THEY BOTH APPEARED TO BE POSITIONED PROPERLY AND DUE TO THE LIGHTING IN THE COCKPIT; I DID NOT VISUALLY SEE A DIFFERENCE IN THE COVERS. AFTER COMPLETING THE TASK; I APPLIED PWR TO THE ACFT AND EVERYTHING APPEARED TO FUNCTION NORMALLY. THE FOLLOWING MORNING THE ACFT TOOK OFF FOR ITS MORNING CARGO RUN WITHOUT INCIDENT. SHORTLY AFTER TKOF; THE PLT APPARENTLY BUMPED THE STANDBY FLAP SWITCH COVERS WHICH REPOSITIONED THE SWITCHES DUE TO THE DIFFERENCE IN THE COVERS. THIS; IN TURN; CAUSED A RUNAWAY FLAP CONDITION. THE PLT WAS ABLE TO RECTIFY THE SIT AND COMPLETED THE CARGO RUN WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. AFTER ARRIVING AT HIS DEST; MAINT PERSONNEL WERE NOTIFIED AND THE SWITCH COVERS WERE REMOVED AND REINSTALLED IN THEIR PROPER POS. ALL APPROPRIATE PAPERWORK WAS COMPLETED AND THE ACFT RETURNED HOME THAT EVENING WITHOUT INCIDENT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THIS WAS A LAST MIN DEAL AND DID NOT TAKE THE TIME TO NOTE THE POS OF THE SWITCH GUARDS. AFTER REASSEMBLING THE PANEL AND SWITCHES; THEY LOOKED RIGHT.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.