Narrative:

While preflting we discovered a coffee cup sitting in the cup holder by the cockpit jumpseat with 3 small screws in the bottom of the cup. Also; we found a cannon plug cover on the cockpit floor under the captain's rudder pedals. We entered this information into the maintenance log and requested that maintenance come out and remove the screws and cannon plug cover. Unfortunately what appeared to be a simple issue turned into a major delay with what we thought was going to be a grounded airplane; since nobody could determine where the screws came from. Also; none of the mechanics; including a supervisor; seemed very interested in placing their signature into the maintenance log; and I can't blame any of them a bit for feeling this way. In summary; it was determined that the screws and cannon plug cover were 'spare hardware' that was the result of an ACARS printer installation the night before. Apparently once the installation was done; the spare hardware was left behind and not removed from the airplane. This is of concern to me as it indicates sloppiness and a general lack of care and due diligence in the way our airplanes are being maintained.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD80 CAPT RPTS WHILE PREFLTING THE COCKPIT A COFFEE CUP WAS DISCOVERED WITH 3 SCREWS IN IT AND CANNON PLUG ON THE FLOOR BTWN THE CAPT'S RUDDER PEDALS.

Narrative: WHILE PREFLTING WE DISCOVERED A COFFEE CUP SITTING IN THE CUP HOLDER BY THE COCKPIT JUMPSEAT WITH 3 SMALL SCREWS IN THE BOTTOM OF THE CUP. ALSO; WE FOUND A CANNON PLUG COVER ON THE COCKPIT FLOOR UNDER THE CAPT'S RUDDER PEDALS. WE ENTERED THIS INFO INTO THE MAINT LOG AND REQUESTED THAT MAINT COME OUT AND REMOVE THE SCREWS AND CANNON PLUG COVER. UNFORTUNATELY WHAT APPEARED TO BE A SIMPLE ISSUE TURNED INTO A MAJOR DELAY WITH WHAT WE THOUGHT WAS GOING TO BE A GNDED AIRPLANE; SINCE NOBODY COULD DETERMINE WHERE THE SCREWS CAME FROM. ALSO; NONE OF THE MECHS; INCLUDING A SUPVR; SEEMED VERY INTERESTED IN PLACING THEIR SIGNATURE INTO THE MAINT LOG; AND I CAN'T BLAME ANY OF THEM A BIT FOR FEELING THIS WAY. IN SUMMARY; IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE SCREWS AND CANNON PLUG COVER WERE 'SPARE HARDWARE' THAT WAS THE RESULT OF AN ACARS PRINTER INSTALLATION THE NIGHT BEFORE. APPARENTLY ONCE THE INSTALLATION WAS DONE; THE SPARE HARDWARE WAS LEFT BEHIND AND NOT REMOVED FROM THE AIRPLANE. THIS IS OF CONCERN TO ME AS IT INDICATES SLOPPINESS AND A GENERAL LACK OF CARE AND DUE DILIGENCE IN THE WAY OUR AIRPLANES ARE BEING MAINTAINED.

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.