During a walk around; a pilot notices a small piece of aluminum tape on the side of an A320. After removing the tape; he noticed a fastener was missing. Maintenance pushing mechanics appears to contribute to the practice.

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Attributes
ACN	813572
Time
Date	200811
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	813572
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe maintenance problem : improper maintenance maintenance problem : improper documentation non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : schedule pressure performance deficiency : repair performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements performance deficiency : logbook entry
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Maintenance Human Performance Aircraft Company
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

On the walkaround; I noted a small piece of aluminum tape on the side of the aircraft. Removed the tape to find a fastener was missing. This is happening quite often. A fastener is missing and is covered by tape. The maintenance release document has no documentation. By the look of the tape; it had been on there a while. A maintenance guy said they are being pushed to get the planes out on time so they just cover up the missing fasteners with tape. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated he has seen the practice of speed tape being used to cover missing fasteners multiple times; without any logbook or maintenance documentation. He has been flying the A320 for over ten years and missing fasteners are a common occurrence on this type of aircraft. Reporter stated; just about any area of the airbus aircraft could have a screw or rivet missing; many of them considered critical. He believes the continuing push on mechanics to get the airplanes out on time; has definitely contributed to the speed tape practice.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DURING A WALK AROUND; A PILOT NOTICES A SMALL PIECE OF ALUMINUM TAPE ON THE SIDE OF AN A320. AFTER REMOVING THE TAPE; HE NOTICED A FASTENER WAS MISSING. MAINTENANCE PUSHING MECHANICS APPEARS TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE PRACTICE.

Narrative: ON THE WALKAROUND; I NOTED A SMALL PIECE OF ALUMINUM TAPE ON THE SIDE OF THE ACFT. REMOVED THE TAPE TO FIND A FASTENER WAS MISSING. THIS IS HAPPENING QUITE OFTEN. A FASTENER IS MISSING AND IS COVERED BY TAPE. THE MAINT RELEASE DOCUMENT HAS NO DOCUMENTATION. BY THE LOOK OF THE TAPE; IT HAD BEEN ON THERE A WHILE. A MAINT GUY SAID THEY ARE BEING PUSHED TO GET THE PLANES OUT ON TIME SO THEY JUST COVER UP THE MISSING FASTENERS WITH TAPE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: REPORTER STATED HE HAS SEEN THE PRACTICE OF SPEED TAPE BEING USED TO COVER MISSING FASTENERS MULTIPLE TIMES; WITHOUT ANY LOGBOOK OR MAINTENANCE DOCUMENTATION. HE HAS BEEN FLYING THE A320 FOR OVER TEN YEARS AND MISSING FASTENERS ARE A COMMON OCCURRENCE ON THIS TYPE OF AIRCRAFT. REPORTER STATED; JUST ABOUT ANY AREA OF THE AIRBUS AIRCRAFT COULD HAVE A SCREW OR RIVET MISSING; MANY OF THEM CONSIDERED CRITICAL. HE BELIEVES THE CONTINUING PUSH ON MECHANICS TO GET THE AIRPLANES OUT ON TIME; HAS DEFINITELY CONTRIBUTED TO THE SPEED TAPE PRACTICE.

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.