B757 flight crew has a portion of the leading slat depart the aircraft.

Attributes
ACN	704528
Time
Date	200607
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord.airport
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl single value : 2000
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : c90.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Route In Use	departure sid : n/s
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 6000
ASRS Report	704528
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
ASRS Report	704518
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : eicas other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed as precaution flight crew : diverted to another airport
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

On flap retraction after takeoff; a grinding noise was heard. A passenger seated near right wing observed a section of the inboard slat was missing and reported it to the crew. I sent the cockpit observer back to check it out. He returned with a digital camera picture of the slat. I contacted maintenance through dispatch and he recommended a return to ord. We also had an elevator feel maintenance message displayed. We returned to ord for a normal approach and landing. The aircraft was taken OTS.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757 FLT CREW HAS A PORTION OF THE LEADING SLAT DEPART THE ACFT.

Narrative: ON FLAP RETRACTION AFTER TKOF; A GRINDING NOISE WAS HEARD. A PAX SEATED NEAR R WING OBSERVED A SECTION OF THE INBOARD SLAT WAS MISSING AND RPTED IT TO THE CREW. I SENT THE COCKPIT OBSERVER BACK TO CHK IT OUT. HE RETURNED WITH A DIGITAL CAMERA PICTURE OF THE SLAT. I CONTACTED MAINT THROUGH DISPATCH AND HE RECOMMENDED A RETURN TO ORD. WE ALSO HAD AN ELEVATOR FEEL MAINT MESSAGE DISPLAYED. WE RETURNED TO ORD FOR A NORMAL APCH AND LNDG. THE ACFT WAS TAKEN OTS.

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.