2009-05 · NASA ASRS report 837149
An employee in a Maintenance Management position; reports an FAA Inspector requested Maintenance remove the security tamper seals from the their lavatory overhead ceiling oxygen masks release door on a B737-700. The FAA noted the TSA requested the inspection.
During an FAA inspection of B737 aircraft; it was noted that tamper seals may have been placed in the wrong locations. The FAA requested Maintenance to the aircraft and requested them to remove the tamper Seals. When the Duty Manager arrived at the aircraft; the FAA was not onboard to point the defect out. The Duty Manager and I met with the FAA in the terminal to find out what they wanted us to remove. They explained that the tamper seals were located on the oxygen doors; and by doing this; the door would not be able to drop. At this time I had a copy of a B737 task card that tells how and where to apply the tamper seals; and showed this to the FAA. I stated to them; I just could not go and remove the tamper seals if they were installed per the task card. At this point we left the terminal area and headed to the Maintenance Department. The FAA requested a copy of the task card and the Duty Manager printed the proper paper work and gave them the cards they requested. At this point I went to another aircraft that was being worked on and looked at each lavatory to see how the tamper seals were installed; and noticed that none were installed on the oxygen doors. I requested my Duty Manager to pull a copy of the B737 task card and meet me at the aircraft that was in question by the FAA Inspector. After reading and reviewing the figures it was noticed that someone had installed two tamper seals: one over the door (this was improper); and one in the correct location. I removed the seals that were installed improperly and did not enter this in the logbook. Due to extra tamper seals being improperly installed; I did not enter the information in the logbook; as all I did was remove the extra tamper seals that were mislocated; and I did not view this as a maintenance event. It was an extra piece of tape that was requested to be removed by an FAA Inspector. After verifying that all tamper seals were installed in the correct position; I removed the extra seals.
Reporter stated he is in a management position. He asked the FAA Inspector what brought him to check the B737-700. The Inspector replied; 'he had received a call from TSA; to specifically look at the security seals; in the lavatory; at the overhead ceiling with the oxygen masks drop-down release door.Reporter stated he and other employees can't explain why that particular aircraft and lavatories had security seals (tamper seals); over the lavatory oxygen masks release door. Especially since he couldn't find any other aircraft with seals applied to the same lavatory oxygen mask door location.Reporter stated the lavatory ceiling panel is a large access panel; that also includes another smaller release panel; which is the actual oxygen masks release door. Only the larger ceiling panel should have the security seal applied to it. The task card for applying security seals to specific cabin panels was not the problem. Reporter stated that possibly someone at another station thought a security seal was required; and just got someone to apply one of the seals to the oxygen release door without any write-up. But why just that aircraft; is still a mystery. Report questions further why the TSA requested the FAA to look specifically at one aircraft?
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Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.
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