Commercial Fixed Wing
Maintenance Airframe; Maintenance Powerplant
Communication Breakdown; Confusion; Situational Awareness
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
General Maintenance Action
Aircraft; Chart Or Publication; Human Factors; Logbook Entry; MEL; Manuals; Procedure
[I was Lead Mechanic] called to assist mechanics on ground for [flight] crew report of 0-to-1 [position] right side slat seal damage. Removed damaged slat seal and rub strip. Reinstalled seal adjacent panel. Contacted Maintenance Control; informed them of action taken and was issued Configuration Deviation List (CDL) Chapter 57-9; accomplished required logbook entries. Aircraft departed after delay. Overnight Maintenance replaced seal and rub strip on April 2012 and cleared CDL deferral.During removal of seal found rub strip damaged. Strip was cracked almost half-way through material width and unseated from attach surface. Strip is held on with one rivet at top and one rivet at bottom of strip. Decision was made that condition of strip; as found; could depart aircraft and possibly enter right engine inlet so strip was removed. With slat seal removed per CDL; rub strip has no function. Maintenance call indicated CDL was not accomplished correctly. Suggest either allow rub strip to be removed if damaged; when Metal Slat Segment Seal is removed per CDL; or clarify CDL Chapter 57-9; to not include rub strip removal for compliance. By not allowing rub strip removal when damaged; defeats the purpose of CDL; on account of when seal is damaged; most of the time rub strip has damage.
A Line; Lead Mechanic was informed that his Configuration Deviation List (CDL) deferral of a damaged right wing slat seal was not accomplished correctly. He had also removed a cracked rub strip for the damaged slat seal to prevent the rub strip from departing the aircraft and possibly entering the right engine.