Narrative:

Was parked at the cargo ramp at O'hare. I was conducting a line check for a recently type rated captain candidate, with our assistant principal operations inspector (poi) onboard to sign this person off. Shortly after we blocked in, our ever vigilant mechanic stepped onto the flight deck and announced that the left navigation light access panel was loose and missing several screws. Mr X said he had tightened the remaining screws and the airplane should be ok to fly from ord to mke. At this time I went outside to look at the panel, and telephoned our maintenance control people. While I was talking to them, borrowed several screws and installed them in the panel. The maintenance controller I was speaking with said the aircraft was good to go according to the guidelines in the general maintenance manual, which we as pilots do not have access to. The missing screws were put on a short term/non-MEL deferral. Thus no amendment to the flight release was required. We continued to mke, at which time our assistant poi wanted the above information. Life would be better, and schedules easier to maintain if maintenance would have found, then replaced the missing screws before leaving ind.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: IMPROPER COMPLETION OF MAINT PRIOR TO RETURNING ACFT TO SVC AFTER MAINT ACTION CHK AT ORD.

Narrative: WAS PARKED AT THE CARGO RAMP AT O'HARE. I WAS CONDUCTING A LINE CHK FOR A RECENTLY TYPE RATED CAPT CANDIDATE, WITH OUR ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL OPS INSPECTOR (POI) ONBOARD TO SIGN THIS PERSON OFF. SHORTLY AFTER WE BLOCKED IN, OUR EVER VIGILANT MECH STEPPED ONTO THE FLT DECK AND ANNOUNCED THAT THE L NAV LIGHT ACCESS PANEL WAS LOOSE AND MISSING SEVERAL SCREWS. MR X SAID HE HAD TIGHTENED THE REMAINING SCREWS AND THE AIRPLANE SHOULD BE OK TO FLY FROM ORD TO MKE. AT THIS TIME I WENT OUTSIDE TO LOOK AT THE PANEL, AND TELEPHONED OUR MAINT CTL PEOPLE. WHILE I WAS TALKING TO THEM, BORROWED SEVERAL SCREWS AND INSTALLED THEM IN THE PANEL. THE MAINT CTLR I WAS SPEAKING WITH SAID THE ACFT WAS GOOD TO GO ACCORDING TO THE GUIDELINES IN THE GENERAL MAINT MANUAL, WHICH WE AS PLTS DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO. THE MISSING SCREWS WERE PUT ON A SHORT TERM/NON-MEL DEFERRAL. THUS NO AMENDMENT TO THE FLT RELEASE WAS REQUIRED. WE CONTINUED TO MKE, AT WHICH TIME OUR ASSISTANT POI WANTED THE ABOVE INFO. LIFE WOULD BE BETTER, AND SCHEDULES EASIER TO MAINTAIN IF MAINT WOULD HAVE FOUND, THEN REPLACED THE MISSING SCREWS BEFORE LEAVING IND.

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.