Aircraft maintenance deficiency noted by passenger in climb.

Attributes
ACN	262672
Time
Date	199402
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : psp
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zla tracon : psp
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute airway : zla
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 5500 flight time type : 750
ASRS Report	262672
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	262834
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Through 10000 ft flight attendant reported a passenger notified her of an open panel on engine cowling. I visually confirmed this to be true. No damage. Maintained low airspeed and landed at palm springs (approved alternate airport) and had ground personnel close and secure panel and verify no damage. I then visually confirmed panel closed and secure. Refueled and resumed flight to dfw. Supplemental information from acn 262834: on exterior preflight inspection, panel was definitely not open, but it is possible that the latch was not secure.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT MAINT DEFICIENCY NOTED BY PAX IN CLB.

Narrative: THROUGH 10000 FT FLT ATTENDANT RPTED A PAX NOTIFIED HER OF AN OPEN PANEL ON ENG COWLING. I VISUALLY CONFIRMED THIS TO BE TRUE. NO DAMAGE. MAINTAINED LOW AIRSPD AND LANDED AT PALM SPRINGS (APPROVED ALTERNATE ARPT) AND HAD GND PERSONNEL CLOSE AND SECURE PANEL AND VERIFY NO DAMAGE. I THEN VISUALLY CONFIRMED PANEL CLOSED AND SECURE. REFUELED AND RESUMED FLT TO DFW. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 262834: ON EXTERIOR PREFLT INSPECTION, PANEL WAS DEFINITELY NOT OPEN, BUT IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE LATCH WAS NOT SECURE.

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.