Narrative:

During a line check in june; a mechanic discovered a missing panel in the cargo bay. In review of the records for aircraft; it appears that the last time any significant maintenance was performed in this area was on may/xa/06. The aircraft was in for an 'a' check. The mechanic who signed for removal and replacement of the cargo compartment smoke detector; mr X; talked with the mechanic and she said she never removed this panel only the smoke detector and she did not recall this panel being removed at the time she was working in the area. Mr X reviewed the 'a' check package; and aircraft history for any discrepancies in this area since may/xa/06 and there are none on file. Since may; this aircraft has only routine overnight check at a maintenance base 1 time. In june; there are no records of any work performed in this area. Mr Y was the lead mechanic who also signed for the airworthiness release of the aircraft. Mr Y and mr X spoke regarding his walkaround for the airworthiness release of the aircraft and he indicated he did look into the cargo bay area and there were no missing panels at that time. The aircraft was worked in june during the day for overhead bin loose discrepancy. Mr X talked with another technician regarding his maintenance for the overhead discrepancy. Once again he denied any removal of the panel in the cargo bay and had no knowledge of the missing panel. It is quite possible somebody removed this panel and did not sign for it during the 'a' check or other maintenance.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DHC8-200 DURING A LINE CHK WAS DISCOVERED TO HAVE A CARGO COMPARTMENT PANEL MISSING. PAPERWORK AUDIT REVEALS NO WRITE-UP AND NO RECORD OF REMOVAL.

Narrative: DURING A LINE CHK IN JUNE; A MECH DISCOVERED A MISSING PANEL IN THE CARGO BAY. IN REVIEW OF THE RECORDS FOR ACFT; IT APPEARS THAT THE LAST TIME ANY SIGNIFICANT MAINT WAS PERFORMED IN THIS AREA WAS ON MAY/XA/06. THE ACFT WAS IN FOR AN 'A' CHK. THE MECH WHO SIGNED FOR REMOVAL AND REPLACEMENT OF THE CARGO COMPARTMENT SMOKE DETECTOR; MR X; TALKED WITH THE MECH AND SHE SAID SHE NEVER REMOVED THIS PANEL ONLY THE SMOKE DETECTOR AND SHE DID NOT RECALL THIS PANEL BEING REMOVED AT THE TIME SHE WAS WORKING IN THE AREA. MR X REVIEWED THE 'A' CHK PACKAGE; AND ACFT HISTORY FOR ANY DISCREPANCIES IN THIS AREA SINCE MAY/XA/06 AND THERE ARE NONE ON FILE. SINCE MAY; THIS ACFT HAS ONLY ROUTINE OVERNIGHT CHK AT A MAINT BASE 1 TIME. IN JUNE; THERE ARE NO RECORDS OF ANY WORK PERFORMED IN THIS AREA. MR Y WAS THE LEAD MECH WHO ALSO SIGNED FOR THE AIRWORTHINESS RELEASE OF THE ACFT. MR Y AND MR X SPOKE REGARDING HIS WALKAROUND FOR THE AIRWORTHINESS RELEASE OF THE ACFT AND HE INDICATED HE DID LOOK INTO THE CARGO BAY AREA AND THERE WERE NO MISSING PANELS AT THAT TIME. THE ACFT WAS WORKED IN JUNE DURING THE DAY FOR OVERHEAD BIN LOOSE DISCREPANCY. MR X TALKED WITH ANOTHER TECHNICIAN REGARDING HIS MAINT FOR THE OVERHEAD DISCREPANCY. ONCE AGAIN HE DENIED ANY REMOVAL OF THE PANEL IN THE CARGO BAY AND HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF THE MISSING PANEL. IT IS QUITE POSSIBLE SOMEBODY REMOVED THIS PANEL AND DID NOT SIGN FOR IT DURING THE 'A' CHK OR OTHER MAINT.

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.