Curious case of missing aircraft engine

Sometimes things go horribly wrong because of a lack of proper communication. Communication is the essence of a good business, a good working environment and in fact for any execution of a task or work whatever you call it. Forget about communication with different individuals even though it is important that internally we communicate for our own betterment or efficiency. I will write about the second part later but today I will try to recount an incident that happened long ago.

It was again one of those many trips I had taken to an airbase for the survey of an accidental aircraft. For the sake of secrecy, I will not mention the base. I and my colleague had done the survey and wanted to discuss it with the Commanding Officer before leaving. When we reached his office it was late in the afternoon, normally it would be peaceful, but I sensed something going on in his office. We were denied time to meet him and were asked to come the next day. With a lot of reluctance, we came back to the hotel only to return the next morning. The next day we met him and discussed the survey. during the discussion, I sensed that he was not mentally present. I tried to politely prod the thing. He gave a wry smile and talked.

For quite some time one of their jet aircraft was on the ground for want of an engine. The term is AOG aircraft on the Ground. The longer the AOG the more concerned and worried the Commanding officer gets. He is questioned about his performance and whatnot. In a nutshell the shorter the AOG time better it is for the team and the base also. They had put the AOG demand for a long and the day before yesterday they got the confirmation of allotment of the requested engine and were communicated the details of shipment. The shipment was through a truck delivery which would happen yesterday around noon time. In anticipation, they prepared the aircraft and planned for all the activities once the engine arrived to install do all the checks, and fly the aircraft this morning. The whole team was upbeat to strike off that tail number (Registration number that appears on the tail of an aircraft) from the AOG list. Yesterday the delivery happened at noon, as scheduled. The engines are transported in metal containers for safety and security. The team was very anxious to remove the engine and install it. They had arranged the Engine installation trolley; the whole technical team was ready to work. The container was lifted off by a crane from the truck and lowered. The inspection team from the Goods Receivables came and checked the condition of the container for visible damages and any sign of seal breakage etc., The shipment detail documents were kept in a pouch fixed to the container and were found safe and gave details of the engine serial number, inspector approval, dispatcher's signature, etc., They broke open the seal and opened the container. To their dismay, the container was empty, with no engine but the documents pertaining to the engine. That's how they were all in some sort of fizzy. They called back the truck operator and enquired, he gave all the details and said he didn't know anything about the content as it was sealed. His job was only to transport it and deliver the documents which he had done.

Next, they communicated with the chief of the Engine Base Repair Depot which had shipped the engine, the Chief confirmed the shipment and was startled at the fact that the container was empty. He communicated that they had gone out of the way to ship it on a Saturday afternoon when actually it was a half day for them.

Having narrated the incident, the CO gave a long sigh and said a high-level inquiry would be done. We expressed that they would soon get their engine and things would be fine.

After finishing my job, I left the place and came back to my place of work. A few months passed and we had taken up the repair of the accidental aircraft which we had surveyed at the same base and I was asked to assist the repair team.

On reaching the Airbase along with the repair team, while the team was busy taking out the tools and other materials required for repair, I went to meet the CO to brief them about our team’s work. It was the same person whom I had met last time. Many times we meet different people in the same position owing to the transfers that take place in the defense services. After an exchange of pleasantries and a briefing of my work, I remembered the missing engine case and asked him about it. He burst into laughter and said well they got their Engine after a fortnight and narrated to me the inquiry and the outcome.

The Engine Repair Depot was under pressure to complete their task and dispatch the engine. The engine was in the final stages of inspection after testing. The dispatch was through a Truck and the dispatch was handled by a contract Agency. The contract agency had communicated that their Truck was available for loading only on Saturday afternoon. If not, then they will have to wait for about a fortnight or so. That particular Saturday happened to be a half-working day when the staff would pack up by afternoon. However, normally the staff that took care of loading and dispatch were rostered to be available throughout the week due to the nature of the work. The Quality control or Inspection Person was available only in the morning. The Quality Control person was told to clear all the documents and keep the papers ready for dispatch next to the metal engine container and was also told to leave his stamp for the seal. The Dispatcher was told to dispatch the engine once the truck came. He was told that the Inspector would not be available and that the Inspection would have done its job and the papers and seal will be there alongside the container. The truck came in the afternoon a bit late and was in a hurry to get the container loaded and leave as he expected some weather disruption or so. The dispatcher found the papers signed by the Inspector and also the stamp for the seal. He in a hurry sealed the container put the stamp signed the dispatch papers put it alongside the pouch of the container and signed the Transport documents. The metal container was loaded and the truck started its journey.

The interesting part was only revealed during the investigation that took place aftermath of the discovery of the empty container. During the investigation, everybody communicated that they had done their job as required or instructed. The inspector said that it was half day and as he would not be available in the afternoon he was asked to keep all the papers ready and signed and keep them alongside the container along with the stamp for the seal. He had done it. He said the engine was supposed to have been packed into the container in the afternoon. He accepted that he had signed papers in advance in good faith. The dispatcher said he had done what he was told to do. He said, that when he came the papers were kept alongside the container. He checked the papers. Inspection has signed all the columns necessary including the engine packing inside the container. So he did not bother to check the container but he sealed and loaded on onto the container.

The outcome of the inquiry was that there was no communication whatsoever for the dispatcher to check that the engine was loaded into the container. He was asked to dispatch. As he saw that the inspection had signed all the columns of inspection including the safe engine loading into the container he took for granted that the engine was loaded. He had joined duty in the afternoon and assumed the person in charge before had got the engine loaded into the container. As the container is metal and heavy, not handled by hand there is no way to check by weight the presence of the engine inside unless you open the hatch and check. The truck person was also pressured to do it fast as he was to load some more packages elsewhere.

When the receiving base asked to confirm the dispatch of the Engine, People checked at the dispatch area where the containers were kept and as the engine container was not found there, they confirmed it had been dispatched. Actually, the Engine was waiting at the Testbed area in its cradle, to be moved for dispatch.

We all laughed. He said please don't spread this, to err is human. Under pressure sometimes such funny things do happen.

The accountability must have been established and some punishments may or may not have been imposed on the concerned. But as a rule, any investigation must find out the root cause and suggest measures so that the same doesn't repeat. The aim of the investigation never is to punish anybody.

I too had forgotten this, a recent instance on roles of shipment as part of Procurement reminded me of this. I am penning this after many years because it has a beautiful learning point on the essence of communication.

Communication should be complete with all concerned, with no assumptions whatsoever. Also one should not endorse a thing that he or she has not undertaken no matter what the pressures are. If the inspector were to refuse to sign in advance the whole issue would not have happened.