Maintenance Powerplant; Maintenance Airframe
Human-Machine Interface; Communication Breakdown; Situational Awareness
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Maintenance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Ground Event / Encounter Ground Equipment Issue; Ground Event / Encounter Object
Aircraft Aircraft Damaged; General Maintenance Action
Environment - Non Weather Related; Equipment / Tooling; Human Factors
Operated the left MLG (Main Landing Gear) jack during gear swing. When we were close to the required height of the MLG tires off the ground; the tail jack failed and brought the tail down and nose up. I ran from under the wing to seek safety.
While jacking aircraft; aircraft tail jack failed; causing aircraft damage. I was in the wheel well at the time; verifying the level condition with the plumb bob during the jacking process. Plumb bob showed 0 degrees pitch and roll.
B737-800 technicians reported that as the tail jack failed in the middle of jacking the aircraft; the aircraft tail dropped hard on the tail jack; causing significant damage to the tail section.