Narrative:

On may/xy/98, I was given the work cards to close up the left wing of aircraft xyz in accordance with the company's 'C' check program. After installing the panels and stamping off that all panels had been installed, I later found out that 2 panels on the #1 leading edge slat were not installed on the aircraft prior to flight. I did not observe that any panels had been removed from the #1 slat during the period in which I was installing the leading edge panels. I have also found that there has been a revision in the paperwork recently to remove the panels on the #1 slat for inspection. I feel this incident could have been avoided if the out going inspection paperwork were to read, inspect aircraft with slats and flaps in the full down position. Therefore, any missing panels could be seen at that time prior to dispatch. Currently, we are trying to get the inspection paperwork changed so this will not happen again. Our company for the past yr has been telling us they are going to relocate our work and close 3 maintenance facilities. I feel that this has caused some distractions from us doing our jobs efficiently. The uncertainty of not knowing where we will go, having to sell our homes, move, and buy new homes has had a large effect on everyone.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-200 WAS DISPATCHED AFTER MAINT WITH TWO ACCESS PANELS MISSING FROM THE #1 LEADING EDGE SLAT.

Narrative: ON MAY/XY/98, I WAS GIVEN THE WORK CARDS TO CLOSE UP THE L WING OF ACFT XYZ IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE COMPANY'S 'C' CHK PROGRAM. AFTER INSTALLING THE PANELS AND STAMPING OFF THAT ALL PANELS HAD BEEN INSTALLED, I LATER FOUND OUT THAT 2 PANELS ON THE #1 LEADING EDGE SLAT WERE NOT INSTALLED ON THE ACFT PRIOR TO FLT. I DID NOT OBSERVE THAT ANY PANELS HAD BEEN REMOVED FROM THE #1 SLAT DURING THE PERIOD IN WHICH I WAS INSTALLING THE LEADING EDGE PANELS. I HAVE ALSO FOUND THAT THERE HAS BEEN A REVISION IN THE PAPERWORK RECENTLY TO REMOVE THE PANELS ON THE #1 SLAT FOR INSPECTION. I FEEL THIS INCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF THE OUT GOING INSPECTION PAPERWORK WERE TO READ, INSPECT ACFT WITH SLATS AND FLAPS IN THE FULL DOWN POS. THEREFORE, ANY MISSING PANELS COULD BE SEEN AT THAT TIME PRIOR TO DISPATCH. CURRENTLY, WE ARE TRYING TO GET THE INSPECTION PAPERWORK CHANGED SO THIS WILL NOT HAPPEN AGAIN. OUR COMPANY FOR THE PAST YR HAS BEEN TELLING US THEY ARE GOING TO RELOCATE OUR WORK AND CLOSE 3 MAINT FACILITIES. I FEEL THAT THIS HAS CAUSED SOME DISTRACTIONS FROM US DOING OUR JOBS EFFICIENTLY. THE UNCERTAINTY OF NOT KNOWING WHERE WE WILL GO, HAVING TO SELL OUR HOMES, MOVE, AND BUY NEW HOMES HAS HAD A LARGE EFFECT ON EVERYONE.

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.