Captain, in-flight sees open aileron inspection panel.

Attributes
ACN	309449
Time
Date	199507
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : grr
State Reference	MI
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : grr
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Brasilia EMB-120 All Series
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 275 flight time total : 3250 flight time type : 1200
ASRS Report	309449
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	310318
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

On descent into grr airport, the captain noticed that part of the left aileron inspection access panel was fluttering. No aircraft control problems existed. Upon visual inspection at grr, approximately 2/3 of this panel was missing. We had flown the aircraft 3 legs after picking it up at the hangar following routine maintenance. I believe that this panel was never properly secured after inspection and is not visually accessible during a preflight walk-around. A more thorough post-maintenance inspection could have alleviated this incident.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT, INFLT SEES OPEN AILERON INSPECTION PANEL.

Narrative: ON DSCNT INTO GRR ARPT, THE CAPT NOTICED THAT PART OF THE L AILERON INSPECTION ACCESS PANEL WAS FLUTTERING. NO ACFT CTL PROBS EXISTED. UPON VISUAL INSPECTION AT GRR, APPROX 2/3 OF THIS PANEL WAS MISSING. WE HAD FLOWN THE ACFT 3 LEGS AFTER PICKING IT UP AT THE HANGAR FOLLOWING ROUTINE MAINT. I BELIEVE THAT THIS PANEL WAS NEVER PROPERLY SECURED AFTER INSPECTION AND IS NOT VISUALLY ACCESSIBLE DURING A PREFLT WALK-AROUND. A MORE THOROUGH POST-MAINT INSPECTION COULD HAVE ALLEVIATED THIS INCIDENT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.