Narrative:

During preflight of aircraft X; initially assigned this flight; found screw missing and reported same to maintenance. During maintenance inspection trying to locate discrepancy; they found some cracks that I; and apparently previous pilots; did not spot. 'Right engine just aft of idg air/oil heat exchanger outlet cowling has 4 rivets missing and a 3-INCH crack.' the day preceding this; while preflting initial aircraft assigned; I reported this maintenance discrepancy; which apparently had been happening prior to my flight as well; due to blue stains on underbelly: 'blue lavatory fluid dripping out of aft belly drain hole of B757 aircraft.' both of these issues may have; if not should have; been caught by a trained mechanic doing a more detailed inspection of the aircraft. In both of these cases; flts were excessively delayed due to aircraft going OTS. Either of these maintenance discrepancies could have resulted in serious consequences. I believe the lack of daily maintenance inspections of our aircraft by qualified personnel is causing not only unnecessary delays; but affecting the safety of our airline. Furthermore; rushed preflts by pilots; due to routine operations is failing to catch some of these less obvious discrepancies. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated he filed this report because of his concerns about the minimal maintenance and limited maintenance walkarounds where many of these discrepancies could have and most likely; would have; been found prior to flight crews performing their preflight checks. Reporter also stated the B757 blue lavatory fluid dripping out of the aft belly drain was not the drain mast; but the fuselage drain hole. This normally indicates either the lavatory toilet is leaking or possibly lines are leaking into the aft cargo compartment area. Reporter also noted the B767-300 was removed from service to fix the cracked section around the #2 engine idg air/oil heat exchanger outlet cowling.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B767-300; B757 PLT RPTS ON THE LACK OF THOROUGH DAILY MAINT INSPECTIONS OF THEIR ACFT BY QUALIFIED PERSONNEL IS CAUSING NOT ONLY UNNECESSARY DELAYS; BUT AFFECTING THE SAFETY OF THE AIRLINE.

Narrative: DURING PREFLT OF ACFT X; INITIALLY ASSIGNED THIS FLT; FOUND SCREW MISSING AND RPTED SAME TO MAINT. DURING MAINT INSPECTION TRYING TO LOCATE DISCREPANCY; THEY FOUND SOME CRACKS THAT I; AND APPARENTLY PREVIOUS PLTS; DID NOT SPOT. 'R ENG JUST AFT OF IDG AIR/OIL HEAT EXCHANGER OUTLET COWLING HAS 4 RIVETS MISSING AND A 3-INCH CRACK.' THE DAY PRECEDING THIS; WHILE PREFLTING INITIAL ACFT ASSIGNED; I RPTED THIS MAINT DISCREPANCY; WHICH APPARENTLY HAD BEEN HAPPENING PRIOR TO MY FLT AS WELL; DUE TO BLUE STAINS ON UNDERBELLY: 'BLUE LAVATORY FLUID DRIPPING OUT OF AFT BELLY DRAIN HOLE OF B757 ACFT.' BOTH OF THESE ISSUES MAY HAVE; IF NOT SHOULD HAVE; BEEN CAUGHT BY A TRAINED MECH DOING A MORE DETAILED INSPECTION OF THE ACFT. IN BOTH OF THESE CASES; FLTS WERE EXCESSIVELY DELAYED DUE TO ACFT GOING OTS. EITHER OF THESE MAINT DISCREPANCIES COULD HAVE RESULTED IN SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES. I BELIEVE THE LACK OF DAILY MAINT INSPECTIONS OF OUR ACFT BY QUALIFIED PERSONNEL IS CAUSING NOT ONLY UNNECESSARY DELAYS; BUT AFFECTING THE SAFETY OF OUR AIRLINE. FURTHERMORE; RUSHED PREFLTS BY PLTS; DUE TO ROUTINE OPS IS FAILING TO CATCH SOME OF THESE LESS OBVIOUS DISCREPANCIES. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED HE FILED THIS RPT BECAUSE OF HIS CONCERNS ABOUT THE MINIMAL MAINT AND LIMITED MAINT WALKAROUNDS WHERE MANY OF THESE DISCREPANCIES COULD HAVE AND MOST LIKELY; WOULD HAVE; BEEN FOUND PRIOR TO FLT CREWS PERFORMING THEIR PREFLT CHKS. RPTR ALSO STATED THE B757 BLUE LAVATORY FLUID DRIPPING OUT OF THE AFT BELLY DRAIN WAS NOT THE DRAIN MAST; BUT THE FUSELAGE DRAIN HOLE. THIS NORMALLY INDICATES EITHER THE LAVATORY TOILET IS LEAKING OR POSSIBLY LINES ARE LEAKING INTO THE AFT CARGO COMPARTMENT AREA. RPTR ALSO NOTED THE B767-300 WAS REMOVED FROM SVC TO FIX THE CRACKED SECTION AROUND THE #2 ENG IDG AIR/OIL HEAT EXCHANGER OUTLET COWLING.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.