Commercial Fixed Wing
Maintenance Airframe; Maintenance Powerplant
Situational Awareness; Communication Breakdown; Time Pressure; Workload; Troubleshooting
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural MEL / CDL; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Maintenance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Aircraft Aircraft Damaged; General Flight Cancelled / Delayed; General Maintenance Action; General Release Refused / Aircraft Not Accepted
Human Factors; Procedure; Company Policy; Aircraft
Incident on ZZZ road trip. I was called to go on a road trip to ZZZ for an engine change on Aircraft X. Prior to being called there were three other AMTs and one inspector in ZZZ. They had evaluated the damage to the engine and performed a borescope. The results from the borescope were good. But there was substantial damage to the engine inlet. After arriving in ZZZ seeing the damage first hand I recommended to the Maintenance Manager that we perform an engine change. All the proper equipment was there already. We had enough AMTs to perform the change. Manager wanted us to perform a high power assurance run. All the mechanics and myself were very uncomfortable with that as we thought it to be a safety concern because of the heavy damage to the engine. Manager told me that we needed to complete the task. My mechanics all voiced concern again with the safety aspect of this task; and they had refused to run the aircraft. The Manager sent an email stating that we must take the engine to power to verify if [it] would be eligible for a maintenance ferry flight. Against my will and better judgement; I decided as the Crew Chief that I would assume the responsibility and run the aircraft myself. We first performed a dry motor and idle run. Both times it was very noticeable that the engine was slow to spool. The idle run start time was very extended. The ambient temperature was in the 40's. It was also noticeable that the engine didn't sound right. We could hear a higher pitched whine and a deep groan coming from the engine. I ran it up to flight climb detent per the job card. As soon as the engine accelerated above ground idle you could feel a noticeable shaking. The engine also had high vibrations showing on ECAM; we were seeing an N2 vibe around .8 and an N1 vibe around 3.2 and you could physically feel it vibrating. However the engine did make power; it accelerated what felt to me to be slowly but was able to accelerate to about 1.3 EPR. Aside of the slow spool; noises; and vibration everything seemed to be consistent with the level of damage sustained to the aircraft. The Manager decided to push for the maintenance ferry flight. We worked with the Manager and engineering for hours as they prepared the ferry flight.After it was approved I completed all necessary paperwork with the Manager. The next day the crew arrived. The crew had no knowledge of the events leading up to this ferry. [It was understood] that the crew would be briefed. I directly briefed both the Captain and co-pilot. I first only briefed the co-pilot on the damage and condition of the aircraft. He was made aware that the aircraft had been inspected and we found it to be safe for a maintenance ferry. I explained the damage that the engine had sustained from the bird strike and that we had run the engine and it was able to make power. I also explained that the engine had been bore scoped and there were no findings. I explained to him what we experienced on the power assurance test. The co-pilot was the one performing the preflight walk around. He was concerned with the safety and approached the Captain. Later on I explained to the Captain the same thing that I had explained to the First Officer. The crew made the decision to reject the aircraft based on the safety of the aircraft. Also all X [other] personnel were assigned to fly with the aircraft home as observers. We were instructed to put all of our tools in the forward cargo prior to the flight.The crew ultimately decided to reject the aircraft. The Captain was on the aircraft when he rejected the aircraft. Within a few minutes the Manager called and berated me about scaring off the crew. He basically yelled at me saying I caused them to reject the flight. We were then removed from the road trip and sent home on the next available commercial flight. A check flight crew was sent in and a day later the aircraft ferried with only the crew on board to ZZZ1 for repairs. I fully believe that we were forcedoff of the trip in an effort to silence us from telling the flight crews of the damage that the aircraft had sustained. I was called in to have a meeting with the Manager when I returned to ZZZ1 at the end of my shift. They were questioning what I had discussed with the flight crew. I had the intention of filing a report during the shift but we were so busy changing the engine on Aircraft X I didn't have the time. Name demanded a written statement and quoted the contract language as the reason. I stated that I had intended to file a report and had not yet had the time; and that the report prevented any statement from being written. Name immediately said are you refusing my request; in an obvious try at insubordination. I told him the report protected me from that. Name said that's not how the report works; and continued to force me into writing a statement. We broke from the meeting for clarification from the union and the report coordinator. Name continued to force my hand into a statement by telling my shop steward that since he requested it before the report was filed I was not protected and must write a statement in a reasonable time. I had about 45 minutes until [the] end of shift and I still needed to complete my turnover to night shift. This report comes on the heels of another disregard to safety from management at the company a few weeks prior that I had submitted. I fully believe that management is trying to attack me for presenting these safety situations to the FAA. I also had every intent on filing this safety report before speaking with management.I would also like to say that everyone who had interaction with Maintenance/ Engineering/ and or the Manager on this road trip expressed the concern and safety issues that we were being forced to overlook. Every mechanic; inspector; crew chief; and flight crew member felt like this should be an engine change. We expressed it to the powers above us. They didn't care and completely ignored us; even more they silenced us by sending us away and getting a new flight crew who presumably also knew nothing of the condition of the aircraft.
Lead Technician reported disagreement and concerns while preparing a damaged aircraft for a maintenance ferry flight that was ultimately cancelled; then rescheduled after additional work.