Passenger discovered that rivets were loose or missing from an upper wing panel on an MD80.

Attributes
ACN	786288
Time
Date	200805
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	786288
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : passenger
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe
Independent Detector	other other : 2
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

On completion of flight to ZZZ; a passenger seated on the left side of the aircraft asked to speak with us on the jetbridge. The passenger presented us with a drawing of the left wing and stated he saw missing or detached rivets and a loose wing panel just forward of the flight spoilers. We presented this diagram to maintenance. Aircraft mechanics confirmed rivets were missing/pulled through and a wing panel was loose. The aircraft was taken OTS. This panel would not be seen during a normal preflight inspection. While on the ground; it looked normal. Only in-flight did it lift away from the wing structure. Our thanks to an alert passenger that communicated the problem clearly to the crew and mechanics. Please express our gratitude to the passenger. Without his sharp eye and clear description of the problem; we would have continued to fly this aircraft. I believe it would be appropriate to reward the passenger for his actions. This crew and this company owe him a debt of gratitude.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PAX DISCOVERED THAT RIVETS WERE LOOSE OR MISSING FROM AN UPPER WING PANEL ON AN MD80.

Narrative: ON COMPLETION OF FLT TO ZZZ; A PAX SEATED ON THE L SIDE OF THE ACFT ASKED TO SPEAK WITH US ON THE JETBRIDGE. THE PAX PRESENTED US WITH A DRAWING OF THE L WING AND STATED HE SAW MISSING OR DETACHED RIVETS AND A LOOSE WING PANEL JUST FORWARD OF THE FLT SPOILERS. WE PRESENTED THIS DIAGRAM TO MAINT. ACFT MECHS CONFIRMED RIVETS WERE MISSING/PULLED THROUGH AND A WING PANEL WAS LOOSE. THE ACFT WAS TAKEN OTS. THIS PANEL WOULD NOT BE SEEN DURING A NORMAL PREFLT INSPECTION. WHILE ON THE GND; IT LOOKED NORMAL. ONLY INFLT DID IT LIFT AWAY FROM THE WING STRUCTURE. OUR THANKS TO AN ALERT PAX THAT COMMUNICATED THE PROB CLRLY TO THE CREW AND MECHS. PLEASE EXPRESS OUR GRATITUDE TO THE PAX. WITHOUT HIS SHARP EYE AND CLR DESCRIPTION OF THE PROB; WE WOULD HAVE CONTINUED TO FLY THIS ACFT. I BELIEVE IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE TO REWARD THE PAX FOR HIS ACTIONS. THIS CREW AND THIS COMPANY OWE HIM A DEBT OF GRATITUDE.

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.