Date: 202002
Local time of day: 0001-0600
Location: ZZZ.Airport, US
Aircraft: A319
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Flight plan: IFR
Mission: Passenger
Flight phase: Parked
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: Lead Technician
Reporter qualification: Maintenance Airframe; Maintenance Powerplant
Human factors: Other / Unknown; Troubleshooting
Anomaly: Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Maintenance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Smoke / Fire / Fumes / Odor
Detector: Person Flight Crew; Person Maintenance
When detected: Aircraft In Service At Gate; Routine Inspection
Result: General Flight Cancelled / Delayed; General Maintenance Action
Contributing factors: Aircraft; Human Factors
Primary problem: Human Factors

Narrative: I was told to assign AMTs to an smoke/fumes event on Aircraft X upon its arrival to the ZZZ Line Hangar on 2nd shift XX Feb. The 2nd Shift Supervisor informed me (this info needs confirming!! 2nd hand to me) that the same aircraft had been refused by the flight crew the night before in ZZZ after Company attempted 'something in the cabin' and the aircraft stayed; remained overnight in ZZZ; but the 'refusing crew' the night before did not document the 'fish smell' AND the Line Gate Supervisor nor Tower Supervisor established an ETR not put anything in the system or informed the 3rd Shift Crew Chief assigned to the aircraft of a documented SOF/fish smell. The only thing scheduled was a Service Check night of XZ for morning release on [day] XA. Supposedly the Tower dispatched a Crew Chief to the aircraft predeparture to respond to the outbound crew on ZZZ-ZZZ1...the crew elected to fly despite a strong 'fish/dead flesh' smell. Upon arrival back into ZZZ; the crew wrote up a fish smell. No odor report was ever forwarded to the AMT/Crew Chief responsible to work the aircraft; Crew Chief had to request the manifest and eventually refuse to work in the unknown 'spill/odor area' until the material involved was identified. Of course the norm continued (with attitude) to just 'get in there' open area up; submit to fumes/odors exposure WITHOUT knowing what it might be or how to 'handle it'. Tower Maintenance Operations Manager finally stated it appeared to be a load of seafood/fish but he couldn't be certain. I 'requested' more info. He said it would be unavailable until the next day. we received it within 45 minutes.Lack of documentation and follow up/confirmation of a known discrepancy (violation of CFRs) by flight crew and Gate Supervisor/Tower; failure to remove aircraft from service (ETR); failure to inform oncoming shift properly; failure of flight crew to provide an odor report; acceptance of crew the next morning; reluctance to provide detailed spill info to crew resolving/exposed to potentially toxic chemical mixtures/fumes; pressure to keep the aircraft flying. Provide/require a checklist of 5-6 steps/requirements when an smoke/fumes event occurs AND require the gate Crew Chief and Gate Supervisor to stamp and include checklist in the AML noting in system the form/checklist compliance. Checklist should include: discrepancy documented in AML; '001' /pertinent jobcard printed and crew debrief block stamped; smoke/fumes report from flight crew requested Captain name/# noted; ETR set; system updated and checklist compliance noted in the system; IF a cargo-spill-related smoke/fumes manifest requested and specific info that has detailed cargo-spill-related items REQUESTED (name of person contacted/providing manifest and/or waybill); oncoming shift Crew Chief and supervisors informed of compliance with this checklist and status of 'aircraft/Smell' troubleshooting.




Synopsis: Lead Crew Chief reported FAR violations due to non compliance of multiple policy and procedures regarding a smoke/fumes event.