East-135 crew found a flashlight in the entrance duct to the #1 pack.

Attributes
ACN	586568
Time
Date	200307
Day	Thu
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dca.airport
State Reference	DC
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Embraer Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	586568
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
ASRS Report	586569
Events
Anomaly	maintenance problem : improper maintenance non adherence : far non adherence : company policies non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact other
Consequence	other other
Factors
Maintenance	performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements performance deficiency : inspection
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Maintenance Human Performance
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

Flash found after postflt. On arrival into dca, we did our postflt inspection of aircraft X. We handed the plane over to the checklist and gave the aircraft to the next crew. While the next crew was doing its preflight inspection of the aircraft, they found a flashlight lodged in the #1 pack duct. I know my first officer conducted his pre- and postflt inspections of aircraft X for the prior leg. We had the aircraft for 2 flts that started in the phl-rdu-dca. I would like to find out how such an item could get stuck in the duct so deeply that a normal preflight inspection would not see it. It looks to be from a maintenance inspection from some prior time. Supplemental information from acn 586569: after arrival from dca from rdu, I did my post flight and found no defects on aircraft. Next crew that did a preflight found a flashlight in the #1 pack intake.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: E-135 CREW FOUND A FLASHLIGHT IN THE ENTRANCE DUCT TO THE #1 PACK.

Narrative: FLASH FOUND AFTER POSTFLT. ON ARR INTO DCA, WE DID OUR POSTFLT INSPECTION OF ACFT X. WE HANDED THE PLANE OVER TO THE CHKLIST AND GAVE THE ACFT TO THE NEXT CREW. WHILE THE NEXT CREW WAS DOING ITS PREFLT INSPECTION OF THE ACFT, THEY FOUND A FLASHLIGHT LODGED IN THE #1 PACK DUCT. I KNOW MY FO CONDUCTED HIS PRE- AND POSTFLT INSPECTIONS OF ACFT X FOR THE PRIOR LEG. WE HAD THE ACFT FOR 2 FLTS THAT STARTED IN THE PHL-RDU-DCA. I WOULD LIKE TO FIND OUT HOW SUCH AN ITEM COULD GET STUCK IN THE DUCT SO DEEPLY THAT A NORMAL PREFLT INSPECTION WOULD NOT SEE IT. IT LOOKS TO BE FROM A MAINT INSPECTION FROM SOME PRIOR TIME. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 586569: AFTER ARR FROM DCA FROM RDU, I DID MY POST FLT AND FOUND NO DEFECTS ON ACFT. NEXT CREW THAT DID A PREFLT FOUND A FLASHLIGHT IN THE #1 PACK INTAKE.

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.