CRJ700 crew discovers damage to right engine cowl during preflight.

Attributes
ACN	719552
Time
Date	200612
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lit.airport
State Reference	AR
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Regional Jet 700 ER&LR
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	719552
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewb
Consequence	other
Factors
Maintenance	performance deficiency : repair performance deficiency : logbook entry
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Maintenance Human Performance Company Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

We were swapped into aircraft X for flight. During preflight; my first officer observed a large gash/rip in the #2 inboard lower transmission cowl. Maintenance was called out. We were swapped into another aircraft. On dec/sat/06 kick-off flight; we were in aircraft X again. My first officer conducted his preflight and observed the same gash/rip in the lower transmission cowl; as was noted previously. I reviewed the log -- there were no write-ups concerning the damage and the aircraft had 2 ps 1 and ps 2 checks during that time frame. I called maintenance. They sent out contract maintenance. It was determined that the damage could not be deferred and the aircraft was ferried to ZZZ for repairs.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CRJ700 CREW DISCOVERS DAMAGE TO R ENG COWL DURING PREFLT.

Narrative: WE WERE SWAPPED INTO ACFT X FOR FLT. DURING PREFLT; MY FO OBSERVED A LARGE GASH/RIP IN THE #2 INBOARD LOWER TRANSMISSION COWL. MAINT WAS CALLED OUT. WE WERE SWAPPED INTO ANOTHER ACFT. ON DEC/SAT/06 KICK-OFF FLT; WE WERE IN ACFT X AGAIN. MY FO CONDUCTED HIS PREFLT AND OBSERVED THE SAME GASH/RIP IN THE LOWER TRANSMISSION COWL; AS WAS NOTED PREVIOUSLY. I REVIEWED THE LOG -- THERE WERE NO WRITE-UPS CONCERNING THE DAMAGE AND THE ACFT HAD 2 PS 1 AND PS 2 CHKS DURING THAT TIME FRAME. I CALLED MAINT. THEY SENT OUT CONTRACT MAINT. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE DAMAGE COULD NOT BE DEFERRED AND THE ACFT WAS FERRIED TO ZZZ FOR REPAIRS.

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.