Narrative:

During preflight inspection chips were found in the radome that exposed the fiberglass structure. The discrepancy was written up and it took 2.5 hours for a determination of the maintenance action required to assure that the correct maintenance procedure was complied with and accomplished. After consultation with maintenance fleet manager and fleet manager these specific procedures were agreed to meet the requirements instead of just allowing the mechanic's opinion of the condition. Upon returning to the aircraft the maintenance logbook was returned by maintenance and it was noted as agreed that the damage could be placed on special item. The maintenance logbook entry was completed with the special item as well as the deferred maintenance in the same manner. The aircraft already had a special item for a dent as idented by a deferred maintenance sticker on the maintenance logbook corresponding with the entry into the deferred maintenance record. It was then noted that now new deferred maintenance sticker was on the maintenance logbook to correspond with the new special item form the radome condition. I contacted dispatch via my personal cell phone since maintenance's new radio could not utilize direct communication through our ACARS service. I talk with my dispatcher; he handed me off to maintenance control who then handed me off to the maintenance control supervisor. I explained to him that the maintenance logbook and deferred maintenance were completed but no deferred maintenance sticker was on the can to indicate the new special item. Basically he stated that the sticker was not required. So I mentioned that in my 8 yrs as a captain and 11 yrs with the company; I do not remember a situation where there was not a sticker on the can associated with a special item. His reply was that he has been here 14 yrs and sometimes the mechanic puts them on and sometimes they don't. That some items are done and some are not. How is it that we can have special item with no consistent documentation?

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A SAAB 340B CAPT RPTS NOSE RADOME DAMAGE WITH INTERIM REPAIR ACCOMPLISHED. REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT DEFERRED AS A TIME CTLED ITEM BUT WITH NO PLACARD INSTALLED.

Narrative: DURING PREFLT INSPECTION CHIPS WERE FOUND IN THE RADOME THAT EXPOSED THE FIBERGLASS STRUCTURE. THE DISCREPANCY WAS WRITTEN UP AND IT TOOK 2.5 HRS FOR A DETERMINATION OF THE MAINT ACTION REQUIRED TO ASSURE THAT THE CORRECT MAINT PROC WAS COMPLIED WITH AND ACCOMPLISHED. AFTER CONSULTATION WITH MAINT FLEET MGR AND FLEET MGR THESE SPECIFIC PROCS WERE AGREED TO MEET THE REQUIREMENTS INSTEAD OF JUST ALLOWING THE MECH'S OPINION OF THE CONDITION. UPON RETURNING TO THE ACFT THE MAINT LOGBOOK WAS RETURNED BY MAINT AND IT WAS NOTED AS AGREED THAT THE DAMAGE COULD BE PLACED ON SPECIAL ITEM. THE MAINT LOGBOOK ENTRY WAS COMPLETED WITH THE SPECIAL ITEM AS WELL AS THE DEFERRED MAINT IN THE SAME MANNER. THE ACFT ALREADY HAD A SPECIAL ITEM FOR A DENT AS IDENTED BY A DEFERRED MAINT STICKER ON THE MAINT LOGBOOK CORRESPONDING WITH THE ENTRY INTO THE DEFERRED MAINT RECORD. IT WAS THEN NOTED THAT NOW NEW DEFERRED MAINT STICKER WAS ON THE MAINT LOGBOOK TO CORRESPOND WITH THE NEW SPECIAL ITEM FORM THE RADOME CONDITION. I CONTACTED DISPATCH VIA MY PERSONAL CELL PHONE SINCE MAINT'S NEW RADIO COULD NOT UTILIZE DIRECT COM THROUGH OUR ACARS SVC. I TALK WITH MY DISPATCHER; HE HANDED ME OFF TO MAINT CTL WHO THEN HANDED ME OFF TO THE MAINT CTL SUPVR. I EXPLAINED TO HIM THAT THE MAINT LOGBOOK AND DEFERRED MAINT WERE COMPLETED BUT NO DEFERRED MAINT STICKER WAS ON THE CAN TO INDICATE THE NEW SPECIAL ITEM. BASICALLY HE STATED THAT THE STICKER WAS NOT REQUIRED. SO I MENTIONED THAT IN MY 8 YRS AS A CAPT AND 11 YRS WITH THE COMPANY; I DO NOT REMEMBER A SITUATION WHERE THERE WAS NOT A STICKER ON THE CAN ASSOCIATED WITH A SPECIAL ITEM. HIS REPLY WAS THAT HE HAS BEEN HERE 14 YRS AND SOMETIMES THE MECH PUTS THEM ON AND SOMETIMES THEY DON'T. THAT SOME ITEMS ARE DONE AND SOME ARE NOT. HOW IS IT THAT WE CAN HAVE SPECIAL ITEM WITH NO CONSISTENT DOCUMENTATION?

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.