B777-200
Maintenance Airframe; Maintenance Avionics; Maintenance Powerplant
Maintenance Avionics 17; Maintenance Technician 8
Communication Breakdown; Confusion; Situational Awareness; Training / Qualification; Troubleshooting
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
General Maintenance Action
Manuals; Aircraft; Human Factors
I was assigned to work on a B777-200 aircraft at the hangar to accomplish an A-Check. The Routine Checks were progressing without incident; until I started a check of the aircraft Door Emergency Power Assist System (EPAS) Battery packs. I was checking for battery expiration and condition when I found the battery pack for Door-3Right (R-3) had expired January 2013. I had never worked on this particular B777 System before. I started replacement of the door batteries (two each) with the current copy of the Aircraft Maintenance Manual (AMM). I also utilized the wisdom of several experienced mechanics. I replaced the batteries; and started Operational Testing of the battery pack. The Test failed with the new batteries surprisingly; as I knew the batteries were tested with a meter prior to installation. I took the batteries out of the battery pack; cleaned the contacts on the batteries and the battery pack. I reinstalled the batteries and started Operational Testing of the battery pack again but the Test failed. I was starting to become very anxious as my shift was going to end in two hours and my leaders were expecting a timely completion. I desperately tried to reach out to the experienced mechanics but they had no wisdom to give. I did not understand what had occurred as the battery pack operated normally prior to battery replacement. I was starting to feel panic setting in as my knowledge base had evaporated. I took a leap of faith and ordered a replacement battery pack from my local Stores Clerk. The [Maintenance] Leads were getting ready to go home and I knew it was nearly XA:00am. The replacement battery pack had arrived from Store's; so I quickly installed the battery pack and batteries. I initiated the Operational Test and the Green Self-Test light was blinking. The Test had passed and the Dayshift crew was reporting to the airplane for duty. In the confusion of the moment I signed the logbook as 'Test normal' with the Dayshift crew signing-off the door panel installation after they installed the door panel.Due to my inexperience with this project I assumed the job was complete; as did the experienced mechanics. At the completion of my shift; I felt comfortable with my logbook sign-off. When I came back to work that same day or actually evening; I retrieved a copy of the Maintenance Manual (M/M) I had that morning. I read through it three or four times and realized I had overlooked the Amber Light Test of the battery pack. I consulted my Lead and he suggested I call Maintenance Control. I spoke to Maintenance Controller X; who suggested I complete a NASA ASRS form. Controller X also told me he would issue a Maintenance Control order to complete the Test on Door 3-Right during the aircraft over nighting. I know that I cannot unring the bell; but I learned from the experience.
Reporter stated that after he notified Maintenance Control that he had missed the EPAS Amber Light Test for Door 3-Right (R-3); the subsequent check of the slide by a downline Station also revealed that a company requirement to have an Inspector verify that two lockout safety pins had been removed from the door slide and re-installed in a pocket on the slide pack had not been accomplished. That procedure and information was supposed to have been included in their logbook sign-off by an Inspector after a slide replacement; but was not. The safety pins however; were properly stowed in the pocket. Reporter also stated that as a result of the missing RII Inspection sign-off for the lockout pins in the logbook he signed; Maintenance Control did a review of other aircraft logbook sign-offs and found similar missing documentation. He was also asked if he felt pressured to get the aircraft out and he answered 'yes'. He suggested a revision to the Aircraft Maintenance Manual (AMM) to include a notice alerting mechanics to the Amber Light Test of the EPAS Battery pack that still needed to be accomplished; further down in the maintenance procedure for the door.
An Aircraft Maintenance Technician (AMT) returns to work and realizes he had not accomplished an Amber Light Test procedure when he signed-off a logbook for replacement of an Emergency Power Assist System (EPAS) Battery pack for Door 3-Right (R-3) slide pack. An RII Inspection verifying the Slide Lockout Safety pins had been properly stowed on the B777-200 aircraft; was also missed.