Narrative:

On a routine functional check flight (fcf) after heavy maintenance at the maintenance base. No problems; or unusual vibes occurred during flight. 4 hours after postflt and maintenance doing extensive corrective actions to sign off the in-flight logbook write-ups; it was reported that a 4 ft by 8 ft panel behind the main gear was missing. All of the screws were in place but no panel. Note: a common maintenance practice when replacing a panel is to leave the screws in place until the replacement comes. Both the copilot and I (the captain) had done extensive preflts to check for loose fasteners and everything else. In addition; the copilot had done a postflt inspection to check for same and found nothing missing.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B767 WAS FLOWN ON A FUNCTIONAL CHK FLT AFTER HVY MAINT. LATER GND CHK REVEALED A 4 FT X 8 FT PANEL HAD DEPARTED THE ACFT.

Narrative: ON A ROUTINE FUNCTIONAL CHK FLT (FCF) AFTER HVY MAINT AT THE MAINT BASE. NO PROBS; OR UNUSUAL VIBES OCCURRED DURING FLT. 4 HRS AFTER POSTFLT AND MAINT DOING EXTENSIVE CORRECTIVE ACTIONS TO SIGN OFF THE INFLT LOGBOOK WRITE-UPS; IT WAS RPTED THAT A 4 FT BY 8 FT PANEL BEHIND THE MAIN GEAR WAS MISSING. ALL OF THE SCREWS WERE IN PLACE BUT NO PANEL. NOTE: A COMMON MAINT PRACTICE WHEN REPLACING A PANEL IS TO LEAVE THE SCREWS IN PLACE UNTIL THE REPLACEMENT COMES. BOTH THE COPLT AND I (THE CAPT) HAD DONE EXTENSIVE PREFLTS TO CHK FOR LOOSE FASTENERS AND EVERYTHING ELSE. IN ADDITION; THE COPLT HAD DONE A POSTFLT INSPECTION TO CHK FOR SAME AND FOUND NOTHING MISSING.

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.