A C320 was flown with the wing mounted left landing light assembly removed and the hole taped over.

Attributes
ACN	697247
Time
Date	200605
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lgb.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skynight 320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground : maintenance
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 56 flight time total : 2160 flight time type : 138
ASRS Report	697247
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	maintenance : technician
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : non compliance with mel non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : non availability of parts performance deficiency : repair performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Maintenance Human Performance Aircraft Chart Or Publication Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

Prior to a day VFR flight; the left landing light had been removed for repair. The power and control wires were insulated from the airframe and secured. The wing opening left by the removed landing light had been covered to keep out airborne debris and perhaps birds from nesting while on the ground. The logic applied was as follows: the landing light is not required for day VFR flight. The landing light is not a structural member of the wing. The landing light may add to the aerodynamics but not required for day flight -- must not be significant. The tape was only meant as a cover to keep out debris. The landing light had been shipped to the mechanic for repair. We didn't think this would affect the performance.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C320 WAS FLOWN WITH THE WING MOUNTED L LNDG LIGHT ASSEMBLY REMOVED AND THE HOLE TAPED OVER.

Narrative: PRIOR TO A DAY VFR FLT; THE L LNDG LIGHT HAD BEEN REMOVED FOR REPAIR. THE PWR AND CTL WIRES WERE INSULATED FROM THE AIRFRAME AND SECURED. THE WING OPENING LEFT BY THE REMOVED LNDG LIGHT HAD BEEN COVERED TO KEEP OUT AIRBORNE DEBRIS AND PERHAPS BIRDS FROM NESTING WHILE ON THE GND. THE LOGIC APPLIED WAS AS FOLLOWS: THE LNDG LIGHT IS NOT REQUIRED FOR DAY VFR FLT. THE LNDG LIGHT IS NOT A STRUCTURAL MEMBER OF THE WING. THE LNDG LIGHT MAY ADD TO THE AERODYNAMICS BUT NOT REQUIRED FOR DAY FLT -- MUST NOT BE SIGNIFICANT. THE TAPE WAS ONLY MEANT AS A COVER TO KEEP OUT DEBRIS. THE LNDG LIGHT HAD BEEN SHIPPED TO THE MECH FOR REPAIR. WE DIDN'T THINK THIS WOULD AFFECT THE PERFORMANCE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.