A B737-700 during an FAA ramp inspection the inspector discovered a cracked lens on the left wingtip...

Attributes
ACN	522041
Time
Date	200108
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : crq.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-700
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 : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 75 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 75
ASRS Report	522041
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 : 9000 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	521879
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : person 3
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : assigned or threatened penalties faa : reviewed incident with flight crew other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Maintenance Human Performance FAA Aircraft
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

I arrived at the aircraft and walked into the cockpit. An FAA inspector plopped down on the jumpseat and informed me he needed to see my license and medical. (He had not yet spoken to captain XXX). I told him it was in my suitcase and I would get it in a couple of mins after getting the APU going. He grabbed the logbook and exited the cockpit. I presented my medical and license and then did the walkaround. The inspector and captain met me at the bottom of the stairs and the inspector said he wanted to show me something. He stated he had already done a walkaround before we arrived (approximately 1 hour before). He pointed out a cracked lens cover on the left wingtip (white position light) and a scratch on the tip. With the position light on (which it was not when he walked around) it was very difficult to see that the cover was cracked. Contract maintenance was contacted and after waiting for awhile, we did an aircraft swap. We pushed 1 hour 25 mins late. While doing the workaround on the new aircraft, the inspector approached me and informed me that he may have to file an administrative action against me for not doing a proper walkaround/preflight. Proper procedures were followed on the walkaround and preflight. I simply missed something that was difficult to see. This had probably been missed by several first officer's. Had the inspector informed our air carrier of the problem when he noticed it, the flight may have pushed on time or only a few mins late.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-700 DURING AN FAA RAMP INSPECTION THE INSPECTOR DISCOVERED A CRACKED LENS ON THE L WINGTIP LIGHT NOT FOUND BY THE FO ON THE WALKAROUND CHK.

Narrative: I ARRIVED AT THE ACFT AND WALKED INTO THE COCKPIT. AN FAA INSPECTOR PLOPPED DOWN ON THE JUMPSEAT AND INFORMED ME HE NEEDED TO SEE MY LICENSE AND MEDICAL. (HE HAD NOT YET SPOKEN TO CAPT XXX). I TOLD HIM IT WAS IN MY SUITCASE AND I WOULD GET IT IN A COUPLE OF MINS AFTER GETTING THE APU GOING. HE GRABBED THE LOGBOOK AND EXITED THE COCKPIT. I PRESENTED MY MEDICAL AND LICENSE AND THEN DID THE WALKAROUND. THE INSPECTOR AND CAPT MET ME AT THE BOTTOM OF THE STAIRS AND THE INSPECTOR SAID HE WANTED TO SHOW ME SOMETHING. HE STATED HE HAD ALREADY DONE A WALKAROUND BEFORE WE ARRIVED (APPROX 1 HR BEFORE). HE POINTED OUT A CRACKED LENS COVER ON THE L WINGTIP (WHITE POS LIGHT) AND A SCRATCH ON THE TIP. WITH THE POS LIGHT ON (WHICH IT WAS NOT WHEN HE WALKED AROUND) IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO SEE THAT THE COVER WAS CRACKED. CONTRACT MAINT WAS CONTACTED AND AFTER WAITING FOR AWHILE, WE DID AN ACFT SWAP. WE PUSHED 1 HR 25 MINS LATE. WHILE DOING THE WORKAROUND ON THE NEW ACFT, THE INSPECTOR APCHED ME AND INFORMED ME THAT HE MAY HAVE TO FILE AN ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION AGAINST ME FOR NOT DOING A PROPER WALKAROUND/PREFLT. PROPER PROCS WERE FOLLOWED ON THE WALKAROUND AND PREFLT. I SIMPLY MISSED SOMETHING THAT WAS DIFFICULT TO SEE. THIS HAD PROBABLY BEEN MISSED BY SEVERAL FO'S. HAD THE INSPECTOR INFORMED OUR ACR OF THE PROB WHEN HE NOTICED IT, THE FLT MAY HAVE PUSHED ON TIME OR ONLY A FEW MINS LATE.

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.

A B737-700 during an FAA ramp inspection the inspector discovered a cracked lens on the left wingtip light not found by the first officer on the walkaround check.