Maintenance Airframe; Maintenance Powerplant
Communication Breakdown; Situational Awareness; Time Pressure
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
General Maintenance Action
Environment - Non Weather Related; Human Factors
1/4' Drive 7/16' Shallow Socket unaccounted for during FWD Fuel Cell replacement FAA Alert Service Bulletin (ASB) compliance. Socket used to Torque (TQ) Fuel transfer lines inside fuel bladders. Last believed used to TQ Boost Pump and Transfer Pump housing. Discovered missing after Aircraft was fueled for Return to Service. Barrels for waste fuel were full from initial defuel. Aircraft was scheduled for training flights early evening. Thorough search of the facility and aircraft was initiated. Decision was made to enter a discrepancy of missing socket. Entries included inspection of critical areas that would effect safety of flight; ie. Engine Air Intake; Intake Plenum; Engine Deck; Transmission Deck; Flight Control Vertical Tunnel; Flight Controls and Rotating Members. Trash cans that were used throughout duration of ASB compliance were emptied that afternoon. The existing trash cans were sorted through. Given more time; arrangements to empty the waste fuel barrels and defuel the aircraft to inspect Fuel Bladders would have been the next course of action. Training Flight crew was notified of situation and actions taken. Decision was made to accept the aircraft for service. Lack of assertiveness.[Recommendations:]Travel box with tool control. Tool verification at the end of each working day. Trash collection should be done after completion of work.
An Aircraft Maintenance Technician (AMT) reports about the efforts made to locate a 1/4' inch drive; 7/16' inch shallow socket that was unaccounted for after a Forward (FWD) Fuel Cell replacement on a Bell BHT-407 helicopter. Inspections of critical areas that would effect safety of flight were accomplished; socket not found. Fuel tanks were not drained. Training Flight crew accepted aircraft for service.