Narrative:

While performing a normal first flight of the day, exterior walkaround, the only abnormal condition I found was some deployed spoilers. After completion of the walkaround, I returned to the cockpit to coordinate with the captain and first officer a signal I could use from the ramp to give the 'all clear' sign to exercise the 'a' hydraulic system to ensure the spoilers would retract. (I was concerned because a recent safety hotline message indicated a problem on a 737 wherein the spoilers were deployed and the speed brake handle was stowed. The pilot noticed this on his walkaround but assumed they would retract once the engines were started. The spoiler didn't and it took a non-revenue in the cabin to notice prior to takeoff.) with our signal set, I returned to the ramp to 'clear' the flap area of any ramp personnel and found an FAA inspector looking closely at the underside of the wing. As I approached to warn him of the impending flap movement he showed me what I had missed on my preflight -- numerous screws missing from various panels on the underside of the wing. We called maintenance, they replaced the screws and we departed on our flight. I don't know if I was preoccupied with the 'spoiler situation' or if I would have missed those 'missing screws' anyway. A very embarrassing situation at the very least, but in the future, I will be even more diligent during the exterior inspection so that it doesn't take someone else to find what I should find.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC TECHNIQUE PREFLT PROC QUESTIONED BY ACI DURING RAMP CHK.

Narrative: WHILE PERFORMING A NORMAL FIRST FLT OF THE DAY, EXTERIOR WALKAROUND, THE ONLY ABNORMAL CONDITION I FOUND WAS SOME DEPLOYED SPOILERS. AFTER COMPLETION OF THE WALKAROUND, I RETURNED TO THE COCKPIT TO COORDINATE WITH THE CAPT AND FO A SIGNAL I COULD USE FROM THE RAMP TO GIVE THE 'ALL CLR' SIGN TO EXERCISE THE 'A' HYD SYS TO ENSURE THE SPOILERS WOULD RETRACT. (I WAS CONCERNED BECAUSE A RECENT SAFETY HOTLINE MESSAGE INDICATED A PROB ON A 737 WHEREIN THE SPOILERS WERE DEPLOYED AND THE SPD BRAKE HANDLE WAS STOWED. THE PLT NOTICED THIS ON HIS WALKAROUND BUT ASSUMED THEY WOULD RETRACT ONCE THE ENGS WERE STARTED. THE SPOILER DIDN'T AND IT TOOK A NON-REVENUE IN THE CABIN TO NOTICE PRIOR TO TKOF.) WITH OUR SIGNAL SET, I RETURNED TO THE RAMP TO 'CLR' THE FLAP AREA OF ANY RAMP PERSONNEL AND FOUND AN FAA INSPECTOR LOOKING CLOSELY AT THE UNDERSIDE OF THE WING. AS I APCHED TO WARN HIM OF THE IMPENDING FLAP MOVEMENT HE SHOWED ME WHAT I HAD MISSED ON MY PREFLT -- NUMEROUS SCREWS MISSING FROM VARIOUS PANELS ON THE UNDERSIDE OF THE WING. WE CALLED MAINT, THEY REPLACED THE SCREWS AND WE DEPARTED ON OUR FLT. I DON'T KNOW IF I WAS PREOCCUPIED WITH THE 'SPOILER SIT' OR IF I WOULD HAVE MISSED THOSE 'MISSING SCREWS' ANYWAY. A VERY EMBARRASSING SIT AT THE VERY LEAST, BUT IN THE FUTURE, I WILL BE EVEN MORE DILIGENT DURING THE EXTERIOR INSPECTION SO THAT IT DOESN'T TAKE SOMEONE ELSE TO FIND WHAT I SHOULD FIND.

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.