Narrative:

I was the first officer for this trip. I performed a normal walk around as per the flight manual and noted no abnormalities. Shortly before departure an FAA safety inspector notified us he had called maintenance because our right side stall warning vane was bent. He told us the manufacturer allows zero tolerance for damage to the probe. During the maintenance action of replacing and testing, I was shown the template they use to determine go or no-go. It is a very tight fit -- about three sixteenths of an inch -- very difficult to eyeball. If this is truly a go/no-go item, we, in the field, need better guidance in the flight manual as to the proper preflight.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN FAA INSPECTOR INFORMS THE FLC OF AN ACR MD80, SUPER 80 THAT THE STALL WARNING VANE WAS BENT OUT OF TOLERANCE.

Narrative: I WAS THE FO FOR THIS TRIP. I PERFORMED A NORMAL WALK AROUND AS PER THE FLT MANUAL AND NOTED NO ABNORMALITIES. SHORTLY BEFORE DEP AN FAA SAFETY INSPECTOR NOTIFIED US HE HAD CALLED MAINT BECAUSE OUR R SIDE STALL WARNING VANE WAS BENT. HE TOLD US THE MANUFACTURER ALLOWS ZERO TOLERANCE FOR DAMAGE TO THE PROBE. DURING THE MAINT ACTION OF REPLACING AND TESTING, I WAS SHOWN THE TEMPLATE THEY USE TO DETERMINE GO OR NO-GO. IT IS A VERY TIGHT FIT -- ABOUT THREE SIXTEENTHS OF AN INCH -- VERY DIFFICULT TO EYEBALL. IF THIS IS TRULY A GO/NO-GO ITEM, WE, IN THE FIELD, NEED BETTER GUIDANCE IN THE FLT MANUAL AS TO THE PROPER PREFLT.

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.