Warning: cheap crimper almost cost us a 737 last Wednesday

I was doing a connector repair on a 737NG in Detroit and my $20 crimper from amazon left a loose pin that could've arced out. Any of you guys had a tool fail on you during a rush job?

3 comments

3 Comments

blakem373d ago

Question whether it's really that bad, though. I've seen loose pins that didn't arc for years on old Dash 8s. Half the time a "loose" crimp just means a slightly higher resistance reading, not an instant fireball. You'd probably catch it on the next continuity check or wiggle test anyway. Plus, if the wire is bundled tight with zip ties, that pin isn't going anywhere. Seems like a lot of drama over a $20 tool when the real issue is rushing the job.

lewis.troy22d ago

Bet your wallet saved $200 but the airline almost paid way more.

blairtaylor22d ago

And with a loose pin you're basically hoping for an electrical fire or a weird avionics glitch at 30,000 feet. Way too many corners get cut just because some manager is breathing down YOUR neck about a delay.