Upon arrival at destination; an md-80 flight crew is informed by maintenance personnel at the gate t...

Attributes
ACN	803660
Time
Date	200809
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
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 Phase	cruise : level ground : takeoff roll landing : roll
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	803660
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
ASRS Report	803659
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : improper documentation non adherence : company policies non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Company
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

Upon arrival at ZZZ after an uneventful flight; maintenance personnel were waiting at the gate to notify us that we had departed ZZZ1 with known damage to the aft cargo hold. Apparently; ZZZ1 personnel had found holes in the walls in the aft cargo hold; and neglected to say anything to the flight crew about it. Instead; station personnel had contacted load control; who told them to load all bags and cargo in the mid cargo hold since the damage was not crew placardable; so contract maintenance would not have to be called. They apparently also informed maintenance control; who forwarded the message to ZZZ so the damage could be repaired or placarded. So; it seems; everyone was notified except the flight crew; and all this was done in an effort to keep from having to pay for a maintenance call from contract maintenance in ZZZ1. I can't vouch for the accuracy of the actions of everyone else involved; but it needs to be determined if people intentionally sent us on our way with known damage. I guarantee that the FAA fine would far exceed the cost to have contract maintenance come out and repair or placard the damage.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UPON ARRIVAL AT DESTINATION; AN MD-80 FLIGHT CREW IS INFORMED BY MAINT PERSONNEL AT THE GATE THE ACFT HAD DEPARTED WITH KNOWN DAMAGE IN THE AFT CARGO HOLD.

Narrative: UPON ARR AT ZZZ AFTER AN UNEVENTFUL FLT; MAINT PERSONNEL WERE WAITING AT THE GATE TO NOTIFY US THAT WE HAD DEPARTED ZZZ1 WITH KNOWN DAMAGE TO THE AFT CARGO HOLD. APPARENTLY; ZZZ1 PERSONNEL HAD FOUND HOLES IN THE WALLS IN THE AFT CARGO HOLD; AND NEGLECTED TO SAY ANYTHING TO THE FLT CREW ABOUT IT. INSTEAD; STATION PERSONNEL HAD CONTACTED LOAD CTL; WHO TOLD THEM TO LOAD ALL BAGS AND CARGO IN THE MID CARGO HOLD SINCE THE DAMAGE WAS NOT CREW PLACARDABLE; SO CONTRACT MAINT WOULD NOT HAVE TO BE CALLED. THEY APPARENTLY ALSO INFORMED MAINT CTL; WHO FORWARDED THE MESSAGE TO ZZZ SO THE DAMAGE COULD BE REPAIRED OR PLACARDED. SO; IT SEEMS; EVERYONE WAS NOTIFIED EXCEPT THE FLT CREW; AND ALL THIS WAS DONE IN AN EFFORT TO KEEP FROM HAVING TO PAY FOR A MAINT CALL FROM CONTRACT MAINT IN ZZZ1. I CAN'T VOUCH FOR THE ACCURACY OF THE ACTIONS OF EVERYONE ELSE INVOLVED; BUT IT NEEDS TO BE DETERMINED IF PEOPLE INTENTIONALLY SENT US ON OUR WAY WITH KNOWN DAMAGE. I GUARANTEE THAT THE FAA FINE WOULD FAR EXCEED THE COST TO HAVE CONTRACT MAINT COME OUT AND REPAIR OR PLACARD THE DAMAGE.

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.

Upon arrival at destination; an md-80 flight crew is informed by maintenance personnel at the gate the aircraft had departed with known damage in the aft cargo hold.