A B747-200 was dispatched with a #1 engine pylon drain cover missing and deferred improperly.

Attributes
ACN	370047
Time
Date	199706
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz
State Reference	FO
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B747-100
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel other oversight : supervisor
Qualification	other other : other
ASRS Report	370047
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Aircraft arrived in XXX, on flight XXX on jun/xa/97. During the routine walkaround check it was discovered that a nacelle panel was missing from the outboard side. I was contacted by a mechanic from ZZZ and told that a panel was missing, and that the confign deviation list allowed the panel to be missing on a B747SP, but did not indicate it could be missing on a B747-222. I informed the mechanic that the panel could not be missing if that was the way the confign deviation list was worded, and needed to install a panel in that location. The mechanic told me they did not have the panel in stock, and what, if anything, were his options? I told the mechanic to manufacture a panel that would fit the opening, and to apply speed tape around the panel to hold it in place. It wasn't until after the aircraft had been dispatched, and I reviewed the deferred item, did I find out the panel was a nacelle strut emergency drain cover. This panel is designed if there is a cut or rupture in the engine fuel supply line, it allows for quick draining of the pylon. Had I understood that to be the case, I would have required ZZZ to locate a panel, possibly from another airline, and install the correct cover prior to departure. The deferred item has been assigned to YYY and must be corrected prior to flight.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B747-200 WAS DISPATCHED WITH A #1 ENG PYLON DRAIN COVER MISSING AND DEFERRED IMPROPERLY.

Narrative: ACFT ARRIVED IN XXX, ON FLT XXX ON JUN/XA/97. DURING THE ROUTINE WALKAROUND CHK IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT A NACELLE PANEL WAS MISSING FROM THE OUTBOARD SIDE. I WAS CONTACTED BY A MECH FROM ZZZ AND TOLD THAT A PANEL WAS MISSING, AND THAT THE CONFIGN DEV LIST ALLOWED THE PANEL TO BE MISSING ON A B747SP, BUT DID NOT INDICATE IT COULD BE MISSING ON A B747-222. I INFORMED THE MECH THAT THE PANEL COULD NOT BE MISSING IF THAT WAS THE WAY THE CONFIGN DEV LIST WAS WORDED, AND NEEDED TO INSTALL A PANEL IN THAT LOCATION. THE MECH TOLD ME THEY DID NOT HAVE THE PANEL IN STOCK, AND WHAT, IF ANYTHING, WERE HIS OPTIONS? I TOLD THE MECH TO MANUFACTURE A PANEL THAT WOULD FIT THE OPENING, AND TO APPLY SPD TAPE AROUND THE PANEL TO HOLD IT IN PLACE. IT WASN'T UNTIL AFTER THE ACFT HAD BEEN DISPATCHED, AND I REVIEWED THE DEFERRED ITEM, DID I FIND OUT THE PANEL WAS A NACELLE STRUT EMER DRAIN COVER. THIS PANEL IS DESIGNED IF THERE IS A CUT OR RUPTURE IN THE ENG FUEL SUPPLY LINE, IT ALLOWS FOR QUICK DRAINING OF THE PYLON. HAD I UNDERSTOOD THAT TO BE THE CASE, I WOULD HAVE REQUIRED ZZZ TO LOCATE A PANEL, POSSIBLY FROM ANOTHER AIRLINE, AND INSTALL THE CORRECT COVER PRIOR TO DEP. THE DEFERRED ITEM HAS BEEN ASSIGNED TO YYY AND MUST BE CORRECTED PRIOR TO FLT.

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.