MD80 captain reports missing aileron trim pointers in the aileron trim indicator on many aircraft.

Attributes
ACN	729090
Time
Date	200702
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	729090
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Maintenance Human Performance
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

I arrived at the gate and was told by a mechanic who was leaving the aircraft that the aileron trim pointer was missing. I looked in the logbook to see if it was written up and found that it was not. I then wrote it up. The trim pointer was replaced subsequent to departure. Some background might be helpful. I've found these trim pointers missing on about ten aircraft over the last two months and have written each of them up. I've written these up so many times that I've quite simply lost track of numbers. On at least two occasions I've written this up two times on two different airplanes on the same day. On one aircraft I found that the mounting tang for the pointer was painted with white paint and I flew that aircraft and still don't know if this is acceptable. I did not write that up. This in hindsight was an oversight on my part. Given enough time I guess I'll get through the entire fleet. Maintenance needs to go to each MD80 and determine if the trim pointer is in place. If not then it should be replaced.callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter believes that an adhesive problem is causing the pointers to fall off. The tang to which the pointer is fastened is not visible on some aircraft that have the scale background painted the same color as the tang.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 CAPT RPTS MISSING AILERON TRIM POINTERS IN THE AILERON TRIM INDICATOR ON MANY ACFT.

Narrative: I ARRIVED AT THE GATE AND WAS TOLD BY A MECHANIC WHO WAS LEAVING THE AIRCRAFT THAT THE AILERON TRIM POINTER WAS MISSING. I LOOKED IN THE LOGBOOK TO SEE IF IT WAS WRITTEN UP AND FOUND THAT IT WAS NOT. I THEN WROTE IT UP. THE TRIM POINTER WAS REPLACED SUBSEQUENT TO DEP. SOME BACKGROUND MIGHT BE HELPFUL. I'VE FOUND THESE TRIM POINTERS MISSING ON ABOUT TEN ACFT OVER THE LAST TWO MONTHS AND HAVE WRITTEN EACH OF THEM UP. I'VE WRITTEN THESE UP SO MANY TIMES THAT I'VE QUITE SIMPLY LOST TRACK OF NUMBERS. ON AT LEAST TWO OCCASIONS I'VE WRITTEN THIS UP TWO TIMES ON TWO DIFFERENT AIRPLANES ON THE SAME DAY. ON ONE ACFT I FOUND THAT THE MOUNTING TANG FOR THE POINTER WAS PAINTED WITH WHITE PAINT AND I FLEW THAT ACFT AND STILL DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS ACCEPTABLE. I DID NOT WRITE THAT UP. THIS IN HINDSIGHT WAS AN OVERSIGHT ON MY PART. GIVEN ENOUGH TIME I GUESS I'LL GET THROUGH THE ENTIRE FLEET. MAINT NEEDS TO GO TO EACH MD80 AND DETERMINE IF THE TRIM POINTER IS IN PLACE. IF NOT THEN IT SHOULD BE REPLACED.CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR BELIEVES THAT AN ADHESIVE PROB IS CAUSING THE POINTERS TO FALL OFF. THE TANG TO WHICH THE POINTER IS FASTENED IS NOT VISIBLE ON SOME ACFT THAT HAVE THE SCALE BACKGROUND PAINTED THE SAME COLOR AS THE TANG.

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.