Narrative:

On walkaround at ZZZ; I found the damage. There was no notation in the aircraft logbook noting the damage; either on the aircraft damage information or in a numbered PIREP item. I entered the following PIREP: 'right-hand trailing edge of wing lower surface appears to have a hole that is speed-taped over. Found delamination 12 inches by 10 inches. Maintenance notified. Item already on repair order from jun/07.' I was uncomfortable with the situation and only accepted the aircraft for service after having a lift pulled up and accompanying the mechanic while he measured the damage and contacted technical service for direction. I was told that 'a structural engineer approved the fix and the increased degradation.' had I known the entire history; there was no way I would have accepted the aircraft for service. Damage area jun/07: 6 inches by 8 inches = 48 square inches. Damage area may/08: 12 inches by 6 inches = 72 square inches -- a 50% increase over 11 months. Damage area may/08: 12 inches by 10 inches = 120 square inches -- a 66% increase over 3 days. Questions (assuming the repair is approved by a structural engineer): 1) is he aware of the exponential degradation over the last few days? 2) if so; and assuming said degradation is approved; what is the allowable rate of degradation and total delamination allowable? 3) when on the lift at ZZZ; I saw a tape patch on the upper surface of the flap; directly above the underside delamination. On touch; it appeared to be an additional repair. This was not mentioned in the damage information or the maintenance history electronic record. Is maintenance aware of this patch/damage/fix? Forgive my questions. My backgnd before air carrier was as a structures engineer (bsme). Although I've been out of the industry for 23 yrs; I find the rate of deterioration to be well out of limits; given my experience at that time. On that note; the B767 was certified over 26 yrs ago. I'm curious as to what has changed since then. After review of the electronic log; I am very disappointed and feel like I was misled. It was only after I returned home that I see the damage has been deferred 339 days. A few questions: 1) why a 339 day deferral? 2) duct tape? 3) how could a 3-DAY deterioration over 50-60% be allowable? This is absolutely unacceptable to allow this aircraft to continue to fly in this manner. I was assured that 'engineers' were aware of the temporary fix. After reading the maintenance history I find it hard to imagine that such an increase over 3 days is something an engineer would approve of. R-hand outboard flap inboard end lower surface has an 8 inch by 6 inch delamination 10 inches from lower edge and approximately 8 inches from inboard end. Re-inspected r-hand outboard flap; found the repair to be surrounded by ice/water accumulation. (4-6 inches wide). Temporary repair; inject potting compound; damage area covered with speed tape; re-inspection each 'B' check; permanent repair to be accomplished at next 'C' check.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B767-200 CAPTAIN NOTICES RH OUTBOARD FLAP TRAILING EDGE LOWER SURFACE HAS A HOLE THAT IS TAPED OVER. MAINT HISTORY SHOWS DAMAGED AREA HAS BEEN DEFERRED FOR OVER 12 MONTHS.

Narrative: ON WALKAROUND AT ZZZ; I FOUND THE DAMAGE. THERE WAS NO NOTATION IN THE ACFT LOGBOOK NOTING THE DAMAGE; EITHER ON THE ACFT DAMAGE INFO OR IN A NUMBERED PIREP ITEM. I ENTERED THE FOLLOWING PIREP: 'R-HAND TRAILING EDGE OF WING LOWER SURFACE APPEARS TO HAVE A HOLE THAT IS SPEED-TAPED OVER. FOUND DELAMINATION 12 INCHES BY 10 INCHES. MAINT NOTIFIED. ITEM ALREADY ON REPAIR ORDER FROM JUN/07.' I WAS UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THE SITUATION AND ONLY ACCEPTED THE ACFT FOR SVC AFTER HAVING A LIFT PULLED UP AND ACCOMPANYING THE MECH WHILE HE MEASURED THE DAMAGE AND CONTACTED TECHNICAL SVC FOR DIRECTION. I WAS TOLD THAT 'A STRUCTURAL ENGINEER APPROVED THE FIX AND THE INCREASED DEGRADATION.' HAD I KNOWN THE ENTIRE HISTORY; THERE WAS NO WAY I WOULD HAVE ACCEPTED THE ACFT FOR SVC. DAMAGE AREA JUN/07: 6 INCHES BY 8 INCHES = 48 SQUARE INCHES. DAMAGE AREA MAY/08: 12 INCHES BY 6 INCHES = 72 SQUARE INCHES -- A 50% INCREASE OVER 11 MONTHS. DAMAGE AREA MAY/08: 12 INCHES BY 10 INCHES = 120 SQUARE INCHES -- A 66% INCREASE OVER 3 DAYS. QUESTIONS (ASSUMING THE REPAIR IS APPROVED BY A STRUCTURAL ENGINEER): 1) IS HE AWARE OF THE EXPONENTIAL DEGRADATION OVER THE LAST FEW DAYS? 2) IF SO; AND ASSUMING SAID DEGRADATION IS APPROVED; WHAT IS THE ALLOWABLE RATE OF DEGRADATION AND TOTAL DELAMINATION ALLOWABLE? 3) WHEN ON THE LIFT AT ZZZ; I SAW A TAPE PATCH ON THE UPPER SURFACE OF THE FLAP; DIRECTLY ABOVE THE UNDERSIDE DELAMINATION. ON TOUCH; IT APPEARED TO BE AN ADDITIONAL REPAIR. THIS WAS NOT MENTIONED IN THE DAMAGE INFO OR THE MAINT HISTORY ELECTRONIC RECORD. IS MAINT AWARE OF THIS PATCH/DAMAGE/FIX? FORGIVE MY QUESTIONS. MY BACKGND BEFORE ACR WAS AS A STRUCTURES ENGINEER (BSME). ALTHOUGH I'VE BEEN OUT OF THE INDUSTRY FOR 23 YRS; I FIND THE RATE OF DETERIORATION TO BE WELL OUT OF LIMITS; GIVEN MY EXPERIENCE AT THAT TIME. ON THAT NOTE; THE B767 WAS CERTIFIED OVER 26 YRS AGO. I'M CURIOUS AS TO WHAT HAS CHANGED SINCE THEN. AFTER REVIEW OF THE ELECTRONIC LOG; I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED AND FEEL LIKE I WAS MISLED. IT WAS ONLY AFTER I RETURNED HOME THAT I SEE THE DAMAGE HAS BEEN DEFERRED 339 DAYS. A FEW QUESTIONS: 1) WHY A 339 DAY DEFERRAL? 2) DUCT TAPE? 3) HOW COULD A 3-DAY DETERIORATION OVER 50-60% BE ALLOWABLE? THIS IS ABSOLUTELY UNACCEPTABLE TO ALLOW THIS ACFT TO CONTINUE TO FLY IN THIS MANNER. I WAS ASSURED THAT 'ENGINEERS' WERE AWARE OF THE TEMPORARY FIX. AFTER READING THE MAINT HISTORY I FIND IT HARD TO IMAGINE THAT SUCH AN INCREASE OVER 3 DAYS IS SOMETHING AN ENGINEER WOULD APPROVE OF. R-HAND OUTBOARD FLAP INBOARD END LOWER SURFACE HAS AN 8 INCH BY 6 INCH DELAMINATION 10 INCHES FROM LOWER EDGE AND APPROX 8 INCHES FROM INBOARD END. RE-INSPECTED R-HAND OUTBOARD FLAP; FOUND THE REPAIR TO BE SURROUNDED BY ICE/WATER ACCUMULATION. (4-6 INCHES WIDE). TEMPORARY REPAIR; INJECT POTTING COMPOUND; DAMAGE AREA COVERED WITH SPEED TAPE; RE-INSPECTION EACH 'B' CHK; PERMANENT REPAIR TO BE ACCOMPLISHED AT NEXT 'C' CHK.

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.