AN AIRBUS A319 LH OVER WING SLIDE PRESSURE BOTTLE WAS FOUND MIS-ORIENTED AND THE ACTUATING CABLE DISCONNECTED. OVER WING SLIDE WOULD NOT HAVE INFLATED IF AN EMER EVACUATION WERE REQUIRED.

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DURING ROUTINE MAINT DURING A C-CHECK AT OUR MAINT BASE; MECHANIC FOUND THE LH OVER WING SLIDE PRESSURE BOTTLE MISORIENTED AND THE ACTUATING CABLE DISCONNECTED ON AN AIRBUS A319 ACFT. THE OVER WING SLIDE WOULD NOT HAVE BLOWN IF AN EMER EVACUATION HAD BEEN REQUIRED. THE MECHANIC RPTED THAT THE BOTTLE WAS TURNED IN SUCH A WAY THAT THE OUTLET HOSE COULD NOT BE CLAMPED PER THE MM AND IPC. MECHANIC DISCONNECTED BOTTLE CABLE AT KNURLED NUT IN ORDER TO ROTATE BOTTLE TO CORRECT POSITION. TO HIS SURPRISE; THE END OF THE CABLE FELL OUT OF THE KNURLED NUT. MECHANIC HAD THOUGHT THAT IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE TO ASSEMBLE CABLE WITH THE ENDS OF THE CABLES NOT BEING ENGAGED. CONDITION WAS RPTED ON A MAINT WRITE-UP WITH COPIES MADE AND SUBMITTED TO INSPECTION MANAGEMENT FOR INVESTIGATION. CONDITION WAS CORRECTED DURING C-CHECK MAINT. I HAVE NOT HEARD WHETHER ANY INVESTIGATION TOOK PLACE; OR WHAT THE RESULTS WERE OF AN INVESTIGATION; OR IF A SELF-DISCLOSURE WAS MADE TO THE FAA.CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THIS ACFT WAS IN FOR A MAINT 'C' CHECK. THERE ARE TWO SLIDE PRESSURE BOTTLES LOCATED IN THE AFT PIT. ONE EACH IN THE LEFT AND RIGHT PIT FWD SIDEWALLS. ALTHOUGH THE BOTTLE WAS ROTATED AND INCORRECTLY POSITIONED; THE GREATER CONCERN WAS THE ACTUATING CABLE FOR THE BOTTLE TO INFLATE THE SLIDE WAS NOT CONNECTED; RENDERING THE SLIDE PACK USELESS. RPTR DOES NOT KNOW HOW LONG THIS ACFT HAD BEEN FLYING; OR HOW MANY FLTS HAVE BEEN FLOWN WITH THIS OVER WING SLIDE UNUSABLE. THE PRESSURE BOTTLE MUST BE REPLACED IF THE GAUGE POINTER DOES NOT REST IN THE GREEN 'GO' BAND ON THE GAUGE FACE. ONBOARD SERVICING OF THIS BOTTLE IS NOT ALLOWED.