Pre-flight after Maintenance
Pre-flight checks on the first flight after maintenance
It need to be more particular than usual in pre-flight checks on the first flight after maintenance has been completed. A recent occurrence report emphasises that point.
It seems the engineers had been interrupted in their work, and two inspection panels were not closed properly; only a few screws had been replaced, and these were standing proud. When the crew arrived to take the aircraft for its first flight after the maintenance, the panels were still loose. However, because they were under the low wing they were not easily seen, and indeed they were not noticed. After take-off, when the airflow caught the panels, they were damaged and one actually came off.
Human beings make mistakes, and the simplest mistake can have serious consequences. Even if we are in a hurry (especially if we are in a hurry), we need to remember that we are all human, and look carefully for things being wrong. Anticipate the human factor, and at the same time remember it could be your mistake next time!
Comments