Narrative:

On apr/tue/06; I flew aircraft X for 5 legs at which time it had several deferred items; including missing slat covers and slat seals on both wing leading edges. The final leg that day was from ZZZ to ZZZ1. On apr/wed/06 I was assigned to fly the same aircraft from ZZZ1 to ZZZ after it had undergone routine maintenance overnight in ZZZ2. The deferred items list indicated all slat cover and slat seal discrepancies had been cleared. However; preflight inspection revealed that the slat cover on the left wing was still missing; resulting in an approximately 3 inch by 4 inch hole in the left wing leading edge. The corrective action in the deferred items list was stated as 'left-hand slat (illegible) required to be replaced until telescopic duct failure. No further action required.' not being comfortable dispatching the aircraft with a missing part; a hole in the wing; and no write-up; I reported this to maintenance control; who had ZZZ1 maintenance personnel come to the plane. They told me 'it's ok.' I attempted to contact 2 chief pilots for guidance but was unable to get through to either. Having flown the same plane the previous day and knowing that the weight was well within the associated restr; I did not believe the operation was unsafe. Since there was no open write-up and with maintenance approval; I believed (though was not certain) I was legal to launch. However; in my opinion; I do not believe clearing the discrepancy was the appropriate action. Upon arriving in ZZZ; I advised the subsequent crew of the situation. In retrospect; I believe it would have been appropriate and correct for me to enter new discrepancy; even though this may have been perceived by some as 'making saves.'

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CRJ WAS DISPATCHED WITH A L WING SLAT COVER MISSING AND NO ENTRY IN THE LOGBOOK DEFERRED ITEM LIST OR ON CDL.

Narrative: ON APR/TUE/06; I FLEW ACFT X FOR 5 LEGS AT WHICH TIME IT HAD SEVERAL DEFERRED ITEMS; INCLUDING MISSING SLAT COVERS AND SLAT SEALS ON BOTH WING LEADING EDGES. THE FINAL LEG THAT DAY WAS FROM ZZZ TO ZZZ1. ON APR/WED/06 I WAS ASSIGNED TO FLY THE SAME ACFT FROM ZZZ1 TO ZZZ AFTER IT HAD UNDERGONE ROUTINE MAINT OVERNIGHT IN ZZZ2. THE DEFERRED ITEMS LIST INDICATED ALL SLAT COVER AND SLAT SEAL DISCREPANCIES HAD BEEN CLRED. HOWEVER; PREFLT INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THE SLAT COVER ON THE L WING WAS STILL MISSING; RESULTING IN AN APPROX 3 INCH BY 4 INCH HOLE IN THE L WING LEADING EDGE. THE CORRECTIVE ACTION IN THE DEFERRED ITEMS LIST WAS STATED AS 'L-HAND SLAT (ILLEGIBLE) REQUIRED TO BE REPLACED UNTIL TELESCOPIC DUCT FAILURE. NO FURTHER ACTION REQUIRED.' NOT BEING COMFORTABLE DISPATCHING THE ACFT WITH A MISSING PART; A HOLE IN THE WING; AND NO WRITE-UP; I RPTED THIS TO MAINT CTL; WHO HAD ZZZ1 MAINT PERSONNEL COME TO THE PLANE. THEY TOLD ME 'IT'S OK.' I ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT 2 CHIEF PLTS FOR GUIDANCE BUT WAS UNABLE TO GET THROUGH TO EITHER. HAVING FLOWN THE SAME PLANE THE PREVIOUS DAY AND KNOWING THAT THE WT WAS WELL WITHIN THE ASSOCIATED RESTR; I DID NOT BELIEVE THE OP WAS UNSAFE. SINCE THERE WAS NO OPEN WRITE-UP AND WITH MAINT APPROVAL; I BELIEVED (THOUGH WAS NOT CERTAIN) I WAS LEGAL TO LAUNCH. HOWEVER; IN MY OPINION; I DO NOT BELIEVE CLRING THE DISCREPANCY WAS THE APPROPRIATE ACTION. UPON ARRIVING IN ZZZ; I ADVISED THE SUBSEQUENT CREW OF THE SITUATION. IN RETROSPECT; I BELIEVE IT WOULD HAVE BEEN APPROPRIATE AND CORRECT FOR ME TO ENTER NEW DISCREPANCY; EVEN THOUGH THIS MAY HAVE BEEN PERCEIVED BY SOME AS 'MAKING SAVES.'

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.