Maintenance Powerplant; Maintenance Airframe
Situational Awareness; Troubleshooting; Distraction; Confusion
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
General Maintenance Action
Human Factors
I was working as part of a Field Service Team working on a chronic No Start and Engine Fuel Valve problem. I was involved in troubleshooting the problem and helping replace the [wire] harness from the engine firewall and also various other troubleshooting tasks. In early July; I completed the reinstallation of the J-Box (Junction Box) top cover and in the process used a 1/4' inch to 5/16' inch Ratchet Ring wrench. When I had finished this job; I went upstairs and cleaned the Spanner [wrench] and had lunch.Later that evening before we finished for the night; I asked a fellow Mechanic to pass me the said wrench and we could not find the wrench. As it had been a long day we went to the hotel and would complete a thorough search in the morning. We returned in the morning the next day and carried out a thorough search of the engine. Four mechanics spent in excess of one hour and as much as two hours searching the engine using lights; mirrors and magnetic pick-up tools in the area above the heat shield. We also checked the tool box again and the ramp area. We accomplished a Dry Motor (Engine Run-no fuel) with cowling open to see if we could hear the wrench move. We then accomplished a series of six engine runs over several hours as part of our checks. We then opened cowls and searched again to ensure if wrench was there; and if it was; the [Engines] runs would have moved its location. That afternoon I informed the Engine Desk of everything that we had done. I told them I was unable to say for certain where the wrench was but; that we had done everything we could to ensure it was not in the engine; but that I could not for certain say that it was not there. I asked that at the end of the Ferry Flight; that another search be accomplished in case the wrench was in the engine and had not moved. I also informed them that on my return to work I would file a report. I do not know the outcome of the event as we still have not found wrench and the Ferry Flight has not terminated so I am unsure as to the wrench's whereabouts. At the time that the wrench was noted as being missing; we were at the end of a second long day. I think if we had completed a search on that night then we would have been fatigued and the better option was to complete search the next day.
A Technician reports about the intense efforts by himself and his Field Service Engine Repair Crew trying to locate a ratchet ring wrench that was misplaced during maintenance on a B767-200 aircraft engine for a chronic 'No Start' and Engine Fuel Valve problem.