Narrative:

I postflted the aircraft which we were xferring from. I then walked to the next aircraft (for our next flight). During the first officer's preflight, he noted 3 loose screws on the left underside hydraulic access panel and 1 screw loose on the right underside access panel. Panels located under respective leading edge wing root area on each side. I looked at the panels myself, then called company maintenance over the radio. I was told they would be right over. I had written up a problem on the plane which we just departed, and since I saw the mechanics working on that plane, I felt they would be over in just a min for our quick fix. They had told me they would be right over. I then busied myself with all the other matters of making a quick plane change and getting ready to depart on time for our next flight. My mistake was that I failed to follow up to be sure the maintenance was in fact done. We departed msp for bji on time and under normal circumstances. In the descent, the first officer and I heard a thump. We were unable to determine the cause of the noise. We talked with the flight attendant. She had heard it too, but didn't know what it was as well. We had seen several large birds soaring, and considered that it might have been a bird strike. After landing, I did a walkaround inspection. I noted how part of the panel with the 3 loose screws had been torn back from the slipstream. The damage was reported was reported to maintenance and a new panel was brought to bji and fitted. The flight, after a 8 1/2 hour delay, returned to msp. I then reported my mistake and the results to our flight department management. Again, by follow-up and not assuming the work would be done, the problem would not have happened.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SF340 FLC DOES NOT CONFIRM MAINT PRIOR TO DEP.

Narrative: I POSTFLTED THE ACFT WHICH WE WERE XFERRING FROM. I THEN WALKED TO THE NEXT ACFT (FOR OUR NEXT FLT). DURING THE FO'S PREFLT, HE NOTED 3 LOOSE SCREWS ON THE L UNDERSIDE HYD ACCESS PANEL AND 1 SCREW LOOSE ON THE R UNDERSIDE ACCESS PANEL. PANELS LOCATED UNDER RESPECTIVE LEADING EDGE WING ROOT AREA ON EACH SIDE. I LOOKED AT THE PANELS MYSELF, THEN CALLED COMPANY MAINT OVER THE RADIO. I WAS TOLD THEY WOULD BE RIGHT OVER. I HAD WRITTEN UP A PROB ON THE PLANE WHICH WE JUST DEPARTED, AND SINCE I SAW THE MECHS WORKING ON THAT PLANE, I FELT THEY WOULD BE OVER IN JUST A MIN FOR OUR QUICK FIX. THEY HAD TOLD ME THEY WOULD BE RIGHT OVER. I THEN BUSIED MYSELF WITH ALL THE OTHER MATTERS OF MAKING A QUICK PLANE CHANGE AND GETTING READY TO DEPART ON TIME FOR OUR NEXT FLT. MY MISTAKE WAS THAT I FAILED TO FOLLOW UP TO BE SURE THE MAINT WAS IN FACT DONE. WE DEPARTED MSP FOR BJI ON TIME AND UNDER NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES. IN THE DSCNT, THE FO AND I HEARD A THUMP. WE WERE UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE NOISE. WE TALKED WITH THE FLT ATTENDANT. SHE HAD HEARD IT TOO, BUT DIDN'T KNOW WHAT IT WAS AS WELL. WE HAD SEEN SEVERAL LARGE BIRDS SOARING, AND CONSIDERED THAT IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN A BIRD STRIKE. AFTER LNDG, I DID A WALKAROUND INSPECTION. I NOTED HOW PART OF THE PANEL WITH THE 3 LOOSE SCREWS HAD BEEN TORN BACK FROM THE SLIPSTREAM. THE DAMAGE WAS RPTED WAS RPTED TO MAINT AND A NEW PANEL WAS BROUGHT TO BJI AND FITTED. THE FLT, AFTER A 8 1/2 HR DELAY, RETURNED TO MSP. I THEN RPTED MY MISTAKE AND THE RESULTS TO OUR FLT DEPT MGMNT. AGAIN, BY FOLLOW-UP AND NOT ASSUMING THE WORK WOULD BE DONE, THE PROB WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED.

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.