Narrative:

At approximately xx:10 hours (EST) local, I was working as a line mechanic for airlines, assigned to cover any maintenance action required for flts arriving on gates a and B. At the above time (xx:10 hours) large transport equipment arrived at gate. During the preflight inspection, I noted a 16' crack, running radialy from approximately the 7:00 to the 9:00 position on the aircraft radome, between the two right side static strips, just aft of the radome abrasion cap. This crack was completely through the radome, with the aft portion of the damaged area exposed to direct windflow. Further, the entire area aft of the crack between the static strips, was delaminated and soft. The damage appears to have been caused by some object of unknown nature, striking the radome at the abrasion cap, and continuing aft to a point approximately 3' aft of the radome itself. I advised the flight crew (names unknown) of the damage, as well as my shift foreman. The damage was entered into the aircraft logbook by myself. Once it was determined that a replacement radome was not readily available, my shift foreman advised me to apply 'speed tape' to the damaged area (crack). My shift foreman cleared the logbook entry and returned the aircraft to service. The aircraft continued on as flight abc to miami, fl, on the same date, departing the gate at approximately xx:40 hours local (EST) time. The same flight crew took the flight out. This lack of judgement regarding the foreman's decision to allow the aircraft to depart west/O proper repair was due (in my opinion) to the attitude that the aircraft flight should continue at all costs.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A AND P MECHANIC FOLLOWS SUPERVISOR INSTRUCTIONS TO USE SPEED TAPE ON RADOME CRACK.

Narrative: AT APPROX XX:10 HRS (EST) LCL, I WAS WORKING AS A LINE MECH FOR AIRLINES, ASSIGNED TO COVER ANY MAINT ACTION REQUIRED FOR FLTS ARRIVING ON GATES A AND B. AT THE ABOVE TIME (XX:10 HRS) LGT EQUIP ARRIVED AT GATE. DURING THE PREFLT INSPECTION, I NOTED A 16' CRACK, RUNNING RADIALY FROM APPROX THE 7:00 TO THE 9:00 POS ON THE ACFT RADOME, BTWN THE TWO R SIDE STATIC STRIPS, JUST AFT OF THE RADOME ABRASION CAP. THIS CRACK WAS COMPLETELY THROUGH THE RADOME, WITH THE AFT PORTION OF THE DAMAGED AREA EXPOSED TO DIRECT WINDFLOW. FURTHER, THE ENTIRE AREA AFT OF THE CRACK BTWN THE STATIC STRIPS, WAS DELAMINATED AND SOFT. THE DAMAGE APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY SOME OBJECT OF UNKNOWN NATURE, STRIKING THE RADOME AT THE ABRASION CAP, AND CONTINUING AFT TO A POINT APPROX 3' AFT OF THE RADOME ITSELF. I ADVISED THE FLT CREW (NAMES UNKNOWN) OF THE DAMAGE, AS WELL AS MY SHIFT FOREMAN. THE DAMAGE WAS ENTERED INTO THE ACFT LOGBOOK BY MYSELF. ONCE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT A REPLACEMENT RADOME WAS NOT READILY AVAILABLE, MY SHIFT FOREMAN ADVISED ME TO APPLY 'SPD TAPE' TO THE DAMAGED AREA (CRACK). MY SHIFT FOREMAN CLRED THE LOGBOOK ENTRY AND RETURNED THE ACFT TO SVC. THE ACFT CONTINUED ON AS FLT ABC TO MIAMI, FL, ON THE SAME DATE, DEPARTING THE GATE AT APPROX XX:40 HRS LCL (EST) TIME. THE SAME FLT CREW TOOK THE FLT OUT. THIS LACK OF JUDGEMENT REGARDING THE FOREMAN'S DECISION TO ALLOW THE ACFT TO DEPART W/O PROPER REPAIR WAS DUE (IN MY OPINION) TO THE ATTITUDE THAT THE ACFT FLT SHOULD CONTINUE AT ALL COSTS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.