An MD80 pilot was informed days after lightning struck his aircraft that a contract mechanic overloo...

Attributes
ACN	773242
Time
Date	200801
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
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 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : maintenance
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time type : 6000
ASRS Report	773242
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter other maintenance problem : improper maintenance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company Aircraft Environmental Factor Maintenance Human Performance
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

On the arrival to ZZZ in clouds and rain; we had a lightning strike on the nose at 6000 ft. Notified ATC; company; and flight attendant and passenger. Flew an uneventful landing into ZZZ. I went into operations and talked with maintenance control. They said the whole aircraft had to be inspected; which I knew. The contract maintenance arrived; I showed him the spot where the lightning had hit. Paint and a little piece of the nose strip came off. Saw the mechanic on a scissor lift inspecting the aircraft. I did not see him do the whole inspection. I did my paperwork; talked with maintenance control and contract mechanic. The mechanic said he didn't find any damage. The maintenance logbook looked correct. The mechanic and maintenance control said aircraft was good to go. This occurred about 2 weeks ago now. We flew back to ZZZ1 and had an uneventful flight. I was informed yesterday that the aircraft was unairworthy; by my pilot group safety representative.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD80 PLT WAS INFORMED DAYS AFTER LIGHTNING STRUCK HIS ACFT THAT A CONTRACT MECH OVERLOOKED DAMAGE CAUSING HIM TO FLY A NON-AIRWORTHY ACFT.

Narrative: ON THE ARR TO ZZZ IN CLOUDS AND RAIN; WE HAD A LIGHTNING STRIKE ON THE NOSE AT 6000 FT. NOTIFIED ATC; COMPANY; AND FLT ATTENDANT AND PAX. FLEW AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG INTO ZZZ. I WENT INTO OPS AND TALKED WITH MAINT CTL. THEY SAID THE WHOLE ACFT HAD TO BE INSPECTED; WHICH I KNEW. THE CONTRACT MAINT ARRIVED; I SHOWED HIM THE SPOT WHERE THE LIGHTNING HAD HIT. PAINT AND A LITTLE PIECE OF THE NOSE STRIP CAME OFF. SAW THE MECH ON A SCISSOR LIFT INSPECTING THE ACFT. I DID NOT SEE HIM DO THE WHOLE INSPECTION. I DID MY PAPERWORK; TALKED WITH MAINT CTL AND CONTRACT MECH. THE MECH SAID HE DIDN'T FIND ANY DAMAGE. THE MAINT LOGBOOK LOOKED CORRECT. THE MECH AND MAINT CTL SAID ACFT WAS GOOD TO GO. THIS OCCURRED ABOUT 2 WKS AGO NOW. WE FLEW BACK TO ZZZ1 AND HAD AN UNEVENTFUL FLT. I WAS INFORMED YESTERDAY THAT THE ACFT WAS UNAIRWORTHY; BY MY PLT GROUP SAFETY REPRESENTATIVE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.

An MD80 pilot was informed days after lightning struck his aircraft that a contract mechanic overlooked damage causing him to fly a non-airworthy aircraft.