Narrative:

During preflight, the first officer found a small dent on the leading edge of the slat that looked new. The dent was approximately 1 1/2 inch long and one foot inboard from the right wingtip. There were several similar dents all along the slats on both wings. Usually, when they have been inspected, maintenance puts a 1 inch or 1/2 inch silver DOT next to the dent to show it is within limits. This had no silver DOT. The aircraft damage log was missing from the logbook, so we called maintenance for them to bring a damage log and inspect the dent. The mechanic came with the damage log and pointed out that the dent was already in the log. The write-up in the log stated 'there are 3 small dents in slat #1.' I accepted the mechanic's word and took the aircraft. 2 days later, it was bothering me, so I called maintenance control and asked how the slats were numbered. Tech told me they are numbered from the fuselage starting at zero and go to number 5. The dents the mechanic pointed out were really on #5 slat, not #1 slat. Was the mechanic just trying to shove an aircraft off the gate, or does he not know what is where on the md-80? I would also ask the same of the maintenance supervisor who observed the conversation and the work to look at the dent. In either case, I should have written it up in the logbook and had maintenance sign it off. I didn't write it up when I was in doubt.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 CREW FOUND A LE SLAT DENTED THAT DID NOT HAVE A MAINT INSPECTION INDICATOR, NOTING PREVIOUS MAINT INSPECTION.

Narrative: DURING PREFLT, THE FO FOUND A SMALL DENT ON THE LEADING EDGE OF THE SLAT THAT LOOKED NEW. THE DENT WAS APPROX 1 1/2 INCH LONG AND ONE FOOT INBOARD FROM THE R WINGTIP. THERE WERE SEVERAL SIMILAR DENTS ALL ALONG THE SLATS ON BOTH WINGS. USUALLY, WHEN THEY HAVE BEEN INSPECTED, MAINT PUTS A 1 INCH OR 1/2 INCH SILVER DOT NEXT TO THE DENT TO SHOW IT IS WITHIN LIMITS. THIS HAD NO SILVER DOT. THE ACFT DAMAGE LOG WAS MISSING FROM THE LOGBOOK, SO WE CALLED MAINT FOR THEM TO BRING A DAMAGE LOG AND INSPECT THE DENT. THE MECH CAME WITH THE DAMAGE LOG AND POINTED OUT THAT THE DENT WAS ALREADY IN THE LOG. THE WRITE-UP IN THE LOG STATED 'THERE ARE 3 SMALL DENTS IN SLAT #1.' I ACCEPTED THE MECH'S WORD AND TOOK THE ACFT. 2 DAYS LATER, IT WAS BOTHERING ME, SO I CALLED MAINT CTL AND ASKED HOW THE SLATS WERE NUMBERED. TECH TOLD ME THEY ARE NUMBERED FROM THE FUSELAGE STARTING AT ZERO AND GO TO NUMBER 5. THE DENTS THE MECH POINTED OUT WERE REALLY ON #5 SLAT, NOT #1 SLAT. WAS THE MECH JUST TRYING TO SHOVE AN ACFT OFF THE GATE, OR DOES HE NOT KNOW WHAT IS WHERE ON THE MD-80? I WOULD ALSO ASK THE SAME OF THE MAINT SUPVR WHO OBSERVED THE CONVERSATION AND THE WORK TO LOOK AT THE DENT. IN EITHER CASE, I SHOULD HAVE WRITTEN IT UP IN THE LOGBOOK AND HAD MAINT SIGN IT OFF. I DIDN'T WRITE IT UP WHEN I WAS IN DOUBT.

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.