B747-400 first officer reported a suspicious dark area verbally to departure station maintenance. It was not recorded in writing in the aircraft discrepancy logbook.

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Attributes
ACN	568783
Time
Date	200212
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : eham.airport
State Reference	FO
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Fog
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B747-400
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 : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 140 flight time total : 14200 flight time type : 2200
ASRS Report	568783
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	maintenance problem : improper documentation maintenance problem : improper maintenance non adherence : company policies non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : schedule pressure performance deficiency : inspection performance deficiency : logbook entry
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Maintenance Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance Company
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

During the preflight, I noticed a dark area just inboard of the right inboard aileron. However, there was not enough light, and I was too far away to make out any detail (you must stand rather far back in order to see the upper surface of the wing on the B747 from the ground). Checking from the main deck was never a consideration as the freighter 'view ports' are useless when wet. I told the maintenance guys (2) that there might be a panel missing, but I was not sure. They went out with the captain to look while I stayed in the cockpit. I later learned that they looked under the wing, and decided that I was just looking at a difference in paint color. In any case, the maintenance team reported 'no problem.' upon arrival at our next station, the maintenance lead informed us that we were missing a section of paneling from the upper surface of the right wing. In retrospect, the 'assumes' got me. I assumed that the mechanics would be curious and take a serious look. They probably assumed that I was just another 'stupid pilot.' in the future, I will escort them to my area of concern.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B747-400 FO RPTED A SUSPICIOUS DARK AREA VERBALLY TO DEP STATION MAINT. IT WAS NOT RECORDED IN WRITING IN THE ACFT DISCREPANCY LOGBOOK.

Narrative: DURING THE PREFLT, I NOTICED A DARK AREA JUST INBOARD OF THE R INBOARD AILERON. HOWEVER, THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH LIGHT, AND I WAS TOO FAR AWAY TO MAKE OUT ANY DETAIL (YOU MUST STAND RATHER FAR BACK IN ORDER TO SEE THE UPPER SURFACE OF THE WING ON THE B747 FROM THE GND). CHKING FROM THE MAIN DECK WAS NEVER A CONSIDERATION AS THE FREIGHTER 'VIEW PORTS' ARE USELESS WHEN WET. I TOLD THE MAINT GUYS (2) THAT THERE MIGHT BE A PANEL MISSING, BUT I WAS NOT SURE. THEY WENT OUT WITH THE CAPT TO LOOK WHILE I STAYED IN THE COCKPIT. I LATER LEARNED THAT THEY LOOKED UNDER THE WING, AND DECIDED THAT I WAS JUST LOOKING AT A DIFFERENCE IN PAINT COLOR. IN ANY CASE, THE MAINT TEAM RPTED 'NO PROB.' UPON ARR AT OUR NEXT STATION, THE MAINT LEAD INFORMED US THAT WE WERE MISSING A SECTION OF PANELING FROM THE UPPER SURFACE OF THE R WING. IN RETROSPECT, THE 'ASSUMES' GOT ME. I ASSUMED THAT THE MECHS WOULD BE CURIOUS AND TAKE A SERIOUS LOOK. THEY PROBABLY ASSUMED THAT I WAS JUST ANOTHER 'STUPID PLT.' IN THE FUTURE, I WILL ESCORT THEM TO MY AREA OF CONCERN.

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.