Aircraft Maintenance System Errors
... 1 Aircraft has evolved from the most basic "fly by string" type to present day electronically and mechanically cluttered "fly by wire" hi-tech aircraft. The consequence of this from the maintenance point of view is the requirement for management as well as more comprehensive training of engineers. Modern day aircraft and airline operation scenario set out for the most demanding management and planning. ... 2 The passengers and crew who fly these aircraft rely on us to have completed the required tasks to ensure efficient and safe operation of their aircraft. Airlines in reality have to survive a "cut throat" environment and hence many financial constrains apply resulting in an extremely tight budget (as low as 12% sometimes) and time factor allocation for maintenance. Under such pressures errors in maintenance arise, sometimes resulting in disasters. The only possible solution to quality of aircraft maintenance despite all applied constrains is efficient maintenance management. ... 3 Errors are usually due to inadvertent mistakes, misunderstanding requirements of a task, breakdown in communication between members of a team and sometimes due to flaw in the operating procedure of an organisation. Almost all of such errors are usually collective errors rather than of a single individual. ... 1 The crash was due to unsecured leading edge of starboard horizontal stabiliser which separated during flight due to aerodynamic loads hence causing flight crew to lose control of the aircraft. The maintenance procedures of Continental Express and the maintenance action prior to the accident which was provided has been scrutinised to produce the following report and procedure amendments. ... 2 Non compliance with the company maintenance procedures on the following accounts:- a. Commencing the removal of leading edge by the second shift maintenance personnel without the issue of M-602 workcards. ... It should have occurred to the QAI that the shift supervisor should know his intervention in order for him to coordinate all work carried out on the various aircraft for the particular shift. ... The absence of task status briefing of the shift supervisor by the maintenance person at end of shift. The mechanics completed their shift and called it a day before providing their supervisor with a verbal briefing of the aircraft status. ... 3 The flaw in the system/maintenance procedure are as following:- a. ... It was later evident that none of the maintenance personnel nor the QA personnel that the leading edge refit constituted to RRI although stabiliser was mentioned as an RII item in the company General Maintenance Manual (GMM).