Emergency evacuation slide stowed in overwing area of fuselage, departed the aircraft on takeoff.

Attributes
ACN	88018
Time
Date	198805
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : jfk
State Reference	NY
Altitude	agl bound lower : 200 agl bound upper : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff climbout : initial
Route In Use	departure sid : sid
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 1795
ASRS Report	88018
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 18000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	87778
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Shortly after takeoff on runway 31L-jfk, got an EICAS caution message 'left wing slide.' the captain asked first F/a to check for anything over the left wing. She could not verify seeing anything. F/a's and some passenger noted vibration and noise in area of row 30 (left side). Coordinated with maintenance and dispatch. Returned to jfk and landed on runway 31L. Found slide missing on return to gate. Slide compartment was fully closed and flush with fuselage when I did my preflight exterior inspection. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: during discussion at the review board it was brought out that the escape slide door can appear closed on the walk around and in fact not be secured. Aircraft had gone through a 'B' check the night before and it is felt the door was not properly closed after the inspection. Is aware of other similar incidents regarding this slide.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EMERGENCY EVACUATION SLIDE STOWED IN OVERWING AREA OF FUSELAGE, DEPARTED THE ACFT ON TKOF.

Narrative: SHORTLY AFTER TKOF ON RWY 31L-JFK, GOT AN EICAS CAUTION MSG 'L WING SLIDE.' THE CAPT ASKED FIRST F/A TO CHK FOR ANYTHING OVER THE LEFT WING. SHE COULD NOT VERIFY SEEING ANYTHING. F/A'S AND SOME PAX NOTED VIBRATION AND NOISE IN AREA OF ROW 30 (LEFT SIDE). COORDINATED WITH MAINT AND DISPATCH. RETURNED TO JFK AND LANDED ON RWY 31L. FOUND SLIDE MISSING ON RETURN TO GATE. SLIDE COMPARTMENT WAS FULLY CLOSED AND FLUSH WITH FUSELAGE WHEN I DID MY PREFLT EXTERIOR INSPECTION. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: DURING DISCUSSION AT THE REVIEW BOARD IT WAS BROUGHT OUT THAT THE ESCAPE SLIDE DOOR CAN APPEAR CLOSED ON THE WALK AROUND AND IN FACT NOT BE SECURED. ACFT HAD GONE THROUGH A 'B' CHK THE NIGHT BEFORE AND IT IS FELT THE DOOR WAS NOT PROPERLY CLOSED AFTER THE INSPECTION. IS AWARE OF OTHER SIMILAR INCIDENTS REGARDING THIS SLIDE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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.