B733 crew during preflight, discovered retractable landing light missing.

Attributes
ACN	499360
Time
Date	200101
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord.airport
State Reference	IL
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 2000 flight time type : 40
ASRS Report	499360
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Maintenance Human Performance
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

During preflight of a B737-300 from jax-ord, I noticed the left landing light (retractable) was broken (no lamp, no cover, and hanging down at a 15 degree angle). It was written up and deferred. Upon arrival at ord, the next flight crew who preflted the airplane said it was missing. I don't know what his description of missing was if it was any different than how I viewed it as broken. Therefore, it may have fallen off somewhere en route. 90% of the flight was conducted over a non populated area.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B733 CREW DURING PREFLT, DISCOVERED RETRACTABLE LNDG LIGHT MISSING.

Narrative: DURING PREFLT OF A B737-300 FROM JAX-ORD, I NOTICED THE L LNDG LIGHT (RETRACTABLE) WAS BROKEN (NO LAMP, NO COVER, AND HANGING DOWN AT A 15 DEG ANGLE). IT WAS WRITTEN UP AND DEFERRED. UPON ARR AT ORD, THE NEXT FLC WHO PREFLTED THE AIRPLANE SAID IT WAS MISSING. I DON'T KNOW WHAT HIS DESCRIPTION OF MISSING WAS IF IT WAS ANY DIFFERENT THAN HOW I VIEWED IT AS BROKEN. THEREFORE, IT MAY HAVE FALLEN OFF SOMEWHERE ENRTE. 90% OF THE FLT WAS CONDUCTED OVER A NON POPULATED AREA.

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.