Flight extensively delayed because a part had been removed and never replace, super 80.

Attributes
ACN	344231
Time
Date	199608
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : syr
State Reference	NY
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	344231
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
ASRS Report	343927
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Airport
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Upon arrival at the airport from the layover hotel we were given a message to call dispatch. Dispatch wanted to know the runway conditions due to the nose gear spray deflector having been removed from the aircraft. I informed dispatch that it was very wet in syracuse. We mutually decided that conditions were unsuitable to operate the trip at that time due to the cdl equipment for dry runways with the nose gear spray deflector missing. We were finally able to depart approximately 4.5 hours late after the runway had dried.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT EXTENSIVELY DELAYED BECAUSE A PART HAD BEEN REMOVED AND NEVER REPLACE, SUPER 80.

Narrative: UPON ARR AT THE ARPT FROM THE LAYOVER HOTEL WE WERE GIVEN A MESSAGE TO CALL DISPATCH. DISPATCH WANTED TO KNOW THE RWY CONDITIONS DUE TO THE NOSE GEAR SPRAY DEFLECTOR HAVING BEEN REMOVED FROM THE ACFT. I INFORMED DISPATCH THAT IT WAS VERY WET IN SYRACUSE. WE MUTUALLY DECIDED THAT CONDITIONS WERE UNSUITABLE TO OPERATE THE TRIP AT THAT TIME DUE TO THE CDL EQUIP FOR DRY RWYS WITH THE NOSE GEAR SPRAY DEFLECTOR MISSING. WE WERE FINALLY ABLE TO DEPART APPROX 4.5 HRS LATE AFTER THE RWY HAD DRIED.

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.