Date: 201703
Local time of day: 0601-1200
Aircraft: A321
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Mission: Passenger
Flight phase: Parked
Aircraft component: Flap Fairing
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: Lead Technician
Reporter qualification: Maintenance Airframe; Maintenance Powerplant
Human factors: Communication Breakdown
Anomaly: Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Maintenance; Ground Event / Encounter Vehicle
Detector: Person Maintenance
When detected: Aircraft In Service At Gate
Result: Aircraft Aircraft Damaged
Contributing factors: Human Factors; Manuals
Primary problem: Human Factors

Narrative: Aircraft was positioned from overnight maintenance; fueling truck approached right wing driving underwing towards fueling port when truck struck bottom of most outboard flap fairing on bottom creating a cut in the honeycomb structure. Measuring damage; opening service repair manual for this aircraft chapter 57-55-11-283-001 explains damage and descriptions and then has information taking you to chapter 51-77-10 for data applicable to flap track fairings 2;3; and 4. Looking into chapter 51-11-15 researching allowable damage which also sent you to temp skin protection 51-77-13-911-009; GPM 17.07.1 use of metallic tape and flow chart 51-77-10-911-001; reviewing this information looks like damage is within allowable damage with repair within 50 cycles re-inspect every 100 flt hours after entering information into computer. Our damage professionals notified me that the damage described was out of allowable limits showing this on Structural Repair Manual (SRM) 57-55-11-283-001 page 6 of 23 and 18 of 23-- table 10103 the size of the damage was too wide even though the damage only penetrated the outer skin only.. discussed situation with our [maintenance] and local management aircraft stopped in ZZZ and fairing removed and aircraft released under Configuration Deviation List (CDL).Looking into the SRM 57-55-11-283-001 looking thru the first pages you are misguided to SRM chapter 51 for allowable damage description for flap track fairings 2;3;and 4 information. Looking into this chapter you have the tendency of missing the information in the next 23 pages which breaks the fairing down into zones with exact dimensions of allowable damage for each zone you may encounter and the amount of damage described. After many different sections you are directed to with bits and pieces of information lead me into believing the damage was allowable. SRM 51-77-13-911-009 page 7 even shows a picture of the exact damage being repaired with speed tape which was on [the] aircraft.Maintenance control with our damage investigators notified ZZZ to remove the #4 right flap fairing and release the aircraft under CDL 27-1 which was accomplished with taking a delay due to [a] late arrival and short time on ground to remove fairing and complete required paperwork.With any damage the mechanic/lead has to go to damage professionals and [maintenance] for clarification; they read the SRM almost daily and are familiar with the flow of information one receives from the SRM and therefore they have greater understanding of the allowable limits on the different areas of the aircraft.




Synopsis: Air carrier Airbus A321 Lead Technician reported that after finding damage to an A321 outboard flap fairing he misinterpreted the specifications for allowable damage.