A B737-800 was dispatched with a right inboard flap outboard drive actuator access panel missing.

Attributes
ACN	729865
Time
Date	200612
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : iad.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-800
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : maintenance
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	maintenance : technician
Qualification	technician : airframe technician : powerplant
Experience	maintenance technician : 18
ASRS Report	729865
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	maintenance : lead technician
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe maintenance problem : improper documentation maintenance problem : improper maintenance non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other other : 1
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other other
Factors
Maintenance	performance deficiency : inspection performance deficiency : installation performance deficiency : scheduled maintenance performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Maintenance Human Performance
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

Assigned task of installing right inboard flap -- outboard aft flap drive actuating mechanism. Completed install and performed adjustment and rig per amm. At this time; crew lead reassigned us to work another task. I questioned lead about completing the initial assigned task by installing wing panel as per the amm requirement. Lead reiterated that said panel was covered under another task card for closing and that panel should remain open for further maintenance. I then continued with new assignment. I signed the job card as per the amm and failed to document the required installation of the panel under to presumption from my lead that the panel was covered under another routine close card. Subsequently; aircraft departed with panel missing. Panel is located as such that it cannot be viewed from the ground with flaps in the up position. Upon discovery panel was routed to aircraft and installed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-800 WAS DISPATCHED WITH A RIGHT INBOARD FLAP OUTBOARD DRIVE ACTUATOR ACCESS PANEL MISSING.

Narrative: ASSIGNED TASK OF INSTALLING R INBOARD FLAP -- OUTBOARD AFT FLAP DRIVE ACTUATING MECHANISM. COMPLETED INSTALL AND PERFORMED ADJUSTMENT AND RIG PER AMM. AT THIS TIME; CREW LEAD REASSIGNED US TO WORK ANOTHER TASK. I QUESTIONED LEAD ABOUT COMPLETING THE INITIAL ASSIGNED TASK BY INSTALLING WING PANEL AS PER THE AMM REQUIREMENT. LEAD REITERATED THAT SAID PANEL WAS COVERED UNDER ANOTHER TASK CARD FOR CLOSING AND THAT PANEL SHOULD REMAIN OPEN FOR FURTHER MAINT. I THEN CONTINUED WITH NEW ASSIGNMENT. I SIGNED THE JOB CARD AS PER THE AMM AND FAILED TO DOCUMENT THE REQUIRED INSTALLATION OF THE PANEL UNDER TO PRESUMPTION FROM MY LEAD THAT THE PANEL WAS COVERED UNDER ANOTHER ROUTINE CLOSE CARD. SUBSEQUENTLY; ACFT DEPARTED WITH PANEL MISSING. PANEL IS LOCATED AS SUCH THAT IT CANNOT BE VIEWED FROM THE GND WITH FLAPS IN THE UP POS. UPON DISCOVERY PANEL WAS ROUTED TO ACFT AND INSTALLED.

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.