PNO-IV-87-033, on 870716,100-mCi Pu-Be Source Could Not Be Located During Inventory.Former Radiation Safety Officer Contacted But Provided No Further Info.Source May Have Been Returned to Owner.Records Check & Search Continuing

PNO-IV-87-033:on 870716,100-mCi Pu-Be Source Could Not Be Located During Inventory.Former Radiation Safety Officer Contacted But Provided No Further Info.Source May Have Been Returned to Owner.Records Check & Search Continuing

ML20235T590
Person / Time
Site:	03028641
Issue date:	07/17/1987
From:	Cain C NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION IV)
To:
References
PNO-IV-87-033, PNO-IV-87-33, NUDOCS 8707220192
Download: ML20235T590 (1)

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' " July 17, 1987 PRELIMINARY: NOTIFICATION 0F EVENT OR UNUSUAL OCCURRENCE -- PNO-IV-87 > -This preliminary.-notification constitutes EARLY notice of events of POSSIBLE safety'or public interest significance'. The information is as' initially received without' verification or evaluation, and is basically all that is known.by' the Region IV staff onlthis"date.

FACILITY: U. S'. Air Force Licensee Emergency Classification: )

Wright-Patterson AFB, OH Notification of Unusual Event Alert LN 42-23539-01AF Site Area l Emergency q 030-28641 General Emergency j Not Applicable X i

SUBJECT:

SOURCE UNACCOUNTED FOR'AT WRIGHT-PATTERSON AFB

'During a sealed source inventory conducted on the morning of July 16, 1987, a 100 mC1 plutonium-beryllium source could not be located. The source was supposed to have been in storage in Building 4060 at the base. This is the same building in which an americium contamination incident occurred during late

-1986. .The former radiation safety-officer has been contacted but has provided no additional information in regard to the location of the source. The Air i

Force suspects that the source may have been returned to its owner, the Department of Energy. The, source is known to be stored in a shielded can approximately one gallon in size. A records check and search for the source are continuing.

Wright-Patterson AFB notified Brooks AFB of the incident at. 2:15 p.m. CDT on .

July 16, 1987.

Region IV received notification of' this occurrence by telephone from:the Air Force Radioisotope Committee at Brooks AFB at 4:15 p.m. CDT.

Region IV has informed Region III, which will notify the State of Ohio.

Neither the licensee nor the NRC has issued a press release.

CONTACT: C. L. Cain, FTS 728-8186 DISTRIBUTION:

MAIL:

H. St. MNBB E/W Willste .ADM:DMB (Original)

Chairman Zech EDO OIA NMSS DOT:(Trans only) '

Comm. Bernthal PA AE00 RES Comm. Roberts OGC VIB FAX:

Comm. Carr MPA DE INPO ACRS NSAC SECY GPA (Air CA Phillips Rights)

PDR NRR RRI q NRC OC DCS LICENSEE:

Regional Offices (Reactor Licensee)

RIV:D:DRSSDL Transmitted via 5520 7/17/87 RLBangart:cd . rtin (a p;y, f,g ,

7/17/87 7/ /87 i l I

8707220192 870717 PDR I&E I PNO-IV-87-033 PDR

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