AN INSPECTOR VERIFYING LUBRICATION OF A DHC-8-200 FLAP PRIMARY TORQUE TUBE SPLINES AND THE SAFETY OF EACH SPLINE COUPLING; IS INFORMED BY HIS SUPERVISOR THE DRIVE SHAFT WAS NOT PROPERLY REASSEMBLED.

Narrative

IN MAR/08; I WAS ASSIGNED TO THE HVY CHK; AS AN INSPECTOR FOR ACFT X. THE ACFT IS POSITIONED IN THE CHK DOCK WITH TEMPORARY WING DOCKS (PLATFORMS) UNDER THE L AND R WINGS. I WAS ASKED TO LOOK AT AN RII 'BUYBACK' ON TASK CARD; LUBRICATION OF FLAP PRIMARY TORQUE TUBE SPLINES; L-HAND. PER THE TASK CARD; THE MECHS HAVE INSTALLED THE HARDWARE LOOSELY SO THAT I CAN VERIFY CORRECT ENGAGEMENT OF THE SPLINES AND HARDWARE BEFORE FINAL ASSEMBLY AND SAFETY (COTTER PIN). BECAUSE OF THE DESIGN OF THE TEMPORARY WING DOCKS AND THAT THE ACFT IS NOT ON JACK STANDS; THE DISTANCE BTWN THE WORK AREA (AFT SPAR) AND THE DOCK DECKING IS APPROX 3 1/2 - 4 FT. I WAS CRAWLING ON MY HANDS AND KNEES REACHING UPWARD WITH ONE HAND TO CHK THE CONNECTION OF EACH TORQUE TUBE SPLINE AND HARDWARE CONNECTION. AFTER I HAD INSPECTED EACH COUPLING; I GAVE THE MECHS AN 'OK' TO TIGHTEN AND SAFETY EACH COUPLING. I RETURNED TO THE ACFT APPROX 45 MINS LATER AND INSPECTED THE SAFETIES (COTTER PIN INSTALLATION). IN APR/08; QUALITY CTL SUPVR INFORMED ME OF A NON-ROUTINE WRITE-UP FOR ACFT: L-HAND WING; #2 PRIMARY FLAP DRIVE SHAFT WAS NOT PROPERLY REASSEMBLED (#2 DRIVE SHAFT CAME OFF #4 FLAP GEAR BOX SPLINE). WE DISCUSSED HOW THIS COULD HAVE HAPPENED. THE ONLY POSSIBLE EXPLANATION I HAD WAS THAT I WAS CRAWLING ON MY HANDS AND KNEES IN A CONFINED SPACE WHILE INSPECTING THE COUPLINGS. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING A MECH AND INSPECTOR FOUND THE CONDITION AFTER OTHER MAINT. NON-ROUTINE WAS CREATED AND DISCREPANCY WAS WORKED. ACFT IN HVY CHK; POSITIONED IN CHK DOCK WITH TEMPORARY WING DOCKS CREATING LIMITED WORK SPACE WHEN ACFT IS NOT ON JACK STANDS. STOP USING TEMPORARY WING DOCKS; WHEN THE PROPER DOCKS ARE AVAILABLE. WHY CAN'T THEY BE POSITIONED UNDER THE CURRENT 'C' CHK ACFT?