A DHC8-100 was dispatched with the #2 engine nacelle missing 2 upper panels.

Attributes
ACN	379013
Time
Date	199708
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Dash 8-100
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
ASRS Report	379013
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far 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 XXX was in aug xa-xd/97 for modification and scheduled maintenance. During that time I worked as lead mechanic on aug/xb/97 and on the morning of its departure on aug/xd/97. There were only a few modifications to be done and only 1 in the area of #2 nacelle and that is the brake accumulator relocation modification. Sometime during its stay, the 2 top nacelle panels were removed by a mechanic and were never written up or told about to any lead mechanic on duty. One of these panels, BBB, had an airworthiness directive on the sealing of the panel after installation. I came in on the morning of aug/xd/97 at XA00. I received a turnover that some paperwork needed to be dealt with and the aircraft was sitting out on the ramp next to the hangar and the next aircraft was in the hangar with the modifications started already. I got another mechanic, did my walkaround inspection at XA45-XB00, and proceeded to take the aircraft to the terminal. I returned to quality control to wait for the paperwork audit to be done and after completion, I took the logbook to aircraft XXX at the gate at XB45-XC00 and signed the maintenance release. I then got on aircraft xyz for modifications. On the final day of putting it back together, it was discovered that the 2 panels BBB and bby were not installed on aircraft XXX. Maintenance control was then notified of the mishap immediately.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DHC8-100 WAS DISPATCHED WITH THE #2 ENG NACELLE MISSING 2 UPPER PANELS.

Narrative: ACFT XXX WAS IN AUG XA-XD/97 FOR MODIFICATION AND SCHEDULED MAINT. DURING THAT TIME I WORKED AS LEAD MECH ON AUG/XB/97 AND ON THE MORNING OF ITS DEP ON AUG/XD/97. THERE WERE ONLY A FEW MODIFICATIONS TO BE DONE AND ONLY 1 IN THE AREA OF #2 NACELLE AND THAT IS THE BRAKE ACCUMULATOR RELOCATION MODIFICATION. SOMETIME DURING ITS STAY, THE 2 TOP NACELLE PANELS WERE REMOVED BY A MECH AND WERE NEVER WRITTEN UP OR TOLD ABOUT TO ANY LEAD MECH ON DUTY. ONE OF THESE PANELS, BBB, HAD AN AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE ON THE SEALING OF THE PANEL AFTER INSTALLATION. I CAME IN ON THE MORNING OF AUG/XD/97 AT XA00. I RECEIVED A TURNOVER THAT SOME PAPERWORK NEEDED TO BE DEALT WITH AND THE ACFT WAS SITTING OUT ON THE RAMP NEXT TO THE HANGAR AND THE NEXT ACFT WAS IN THE HANGAR WITH THE MODIFICATIONS STARTED ALREADY. I GOT ANOTHER MECH, DID MY WALKAROUND INSPECTION AT XA45-XB00, AND PROCEEDED TO TAKE THE ACFT TO THE TERMINAL. I RETURNED TO QUALITY CTL TO WAIT FOR THE PAPERWORK AUDIT TO BE DONE AND AFTER COMPLETION, I TOOK THE LOGBOOK TO ACFT XXX AT THE GATE AT XB45-XC00 AND SIGNED THE MAINT RELEASE. I THEN GOT ON ACFT XYZ FOR MODIFICATIONS. ON THE FINAL DAY OF PUTTING IT BACK TOGETHER, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE 2 PANELS BBB AND BBY WERE NOT INSTALLED ON ACFT XXX. MAINT CTL WAS THEN NOTIFIED OF THE MISHAP IMMEDIATELY.

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.