Narrative:

Aircraft xyz arrived in ZZZ at XA40. I was carrying cargo -- scheduled departure time was XC30. A cargo download and upload was going to take place. As a line mechanic assigned to this station, I performed a postflt walkaround on the airplane. On visually checking the #3 engine, I noticed a small nick in one of the turbine stator vanes at approximately the 10 O'clock position. This was the last row of stator vanes, just forward of the most aft turbine wheel. The turbine blades were not damaged. I looked in the inlet of the engine for evidence of FOD. None was found. I continued the walkaround. The engine centerline was approximately 6 ft AGL. The parking spot was unlit. I was using a 2 cell D battery flashlight. After seeing no evidence of FOD in the inlet or damage to the turbine blades, I assumed the stator damage was inconsequential. The flight crew had reported no abnormal operating indications of the #3 engine, such as high egt or high fuel flow. My decision was quick. I had other tasks to perform and given previous events, I was not motivated to find anything wrong with the airplane. The crew did write up an EPR problem on #4 engine. I applied the MEL to this. The lower beacon light was on MEL. I corrected that discrepancy. The #1 engine thrust reverser was also on MEL and was locked out for flight. I troubleshot this problem. Aircraft xyz left ZZZ for xab. Upon arrival there, maintenance found a good deal of damage to the stator section on #3 engine. I did call ahead to them and told them what I saw. There was still no flight crew report and the turbine blades were still undamaged. The flight was routine and without incident. Xab maintenance decided an engine change was in order.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DC8-63 WAS DISPATCHED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH #3 ENG LOW PRESSURE STATOR VANE DAMAGE NOT RPTED OR DOCUMENTED.

Narrative: ACFT XYZ ARRIVED IN ZZZ AT XA40. I WAS CARRYING CARGO -- SCHEDULED DEP TIME WAS XC30. A CARGO DOWNLOAD AND UPLOAD WAS GOING TO TAKE PLACE. AS A LINE MECH ASSIGNED TO THIS STATION, I PERFORMED A POSTFLT WALKAROUND ON THE AIRPLANE. ON VISUALLY CHKING THE #3 ENG, I NOTICED A SMALL NICK IN ONE OF THE TURBINE STATOR VANES AT APPROX THE 10 O'CLOCK POS. THIS WAS THE LAST ROW OF STATOR VANES, JUST FORWARD OF THE MOST AFT TURBINE WHEEL. THE TURBINE BLADES WERE NOT DAMAGED. I LOOKED IN THE INLET OF THE ENG FOR EVIDENCE OF FOD. NONE WAS FOUND. I CONTINUED THE WALKAROUND. THE ENG CTRLINE WAS APPROX 6 FT AGL. THE PARKING SPOT WAS UNLIT. I WAS USING A 2 CELL D BATTERY FLASHLIGHT. AFTER SEEING NO EVIDENCE OF FOD IN THE INLET OR DAMAGE TO THE TURBINE BLADES, I ASSUMED THE STATOR DAMAGE WAS INCONSEQUENTIAL. THE FLC HAD RPTED NO ABNORMAL OPERATING INDICATIONS OF THE #3 ENG, SUCH AS HIGH EGT OR HIGH FUEL FLOW. MY DECISION WAS QUICK. I HAD OTHER TASKS TO PERFORM AND GIVEN PREVIOUS EVENTS, I WAS NOT MOTIVATED TO FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE AIRPLANE. THE CREW DID WRITE UP AN EPR PROB ON #4 ENG. I APPLIED THE MEL TO THIS. THE LOWER BEACON LIGHT WAS ON MEL. I CORRECTED THAT DISCREPANCY. THE #1 ENG THRUST REVERSER WAS ALSO ON MEL AND WAS LOCKED OUT FOR FLT. I TROUBLESHOT THIS PROB. ACFT XYZ LEFT ZZZ FOR XAB. UPON ARR THERE, MAINT FOUND A GOOD DEAL OF DAMAGE TO THE STATOR SECTION ON #3 ENG. I DID CALL AHEAD TO THEM AND TOLD THEM WHAT I SAW. THERE WAS STILL NO FLC RPT AND THE TURBINE BLADES WERE STILL UNDAMAGED. THE FLT WAS ROUTINE AND WITHOUT INCIDENT. XAB MAINT DECIDED AN ENG CHANGE WAS IN ORDER.

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.