A simple trick from a pilot showed me I was overcomplicating my wire checks

I was working on a Citation's comms panel in Wichita, trying to find an intermittent fault. I'd been tracing the same harness for hours, checking continuity at every point. The captain walked by, saw my meter, and just said, 'Have you tried wiggling it while you watch the pins?' I did, and saw the pin move in the back of the connector. I'd been so focused on my step-by-step process that I missed the simple physical check. How many of you have had a simple tip like that save a whole day?

3 comments

3 Comments

lucasjackson1mo ago

Right? It's crazy how the fix is so obvious once someone points it out. Makes you wonder what else we're overthinking on the line.

grace6071mo ago

Agree with @bennett.nora... sometimes the obvious fix is the right one, but you still gotta check the basics first.

bennett.nora1mo ago

Maybe, but that step-by-step process is what keeps you from missing the bigger problems. Skipping to the wiggle test first could let a bad wire slip by later. The method is there for a reason.