Narrative:

We departed ZZZ in the morning and flew to ZZZ1 and ZZZ2. Upon arrival in ZZZ2; we were instructed to contact dispatch. We were then xferred to maintenance control and they advised us that maintenance in ZZZ may have forgotten to replace a panel on the aircraft before they towed it to the gate that morning. Upon inspection; it was found that they had not replaced the flap transmission control panel. This panel is located in an inconspicuous location underneath the aircraft aft of the main gear. Despite the large size (2 ft by 3 ft); the location makes it difficult to notice that it was missing due to the fact that no major points of inspection during the preflight adequately cover the area and it is not noticed by someone walking around the aircraft. An MEL does not exist that would cover the panel for operation. As a result the aircraft was ferried to ZZZ3 for panel installation. I could not believe that someone would forget to install this panel back on the aircraft. And I would assume that procedures are in place to prevent it from happening.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: E145 FLT CREW IS ADVISED AFTER COMPLETION OF FLT THAT MECHANICS HAD FAILED TO REINSTALL A LARGE PANEL ON THE BELLY OF THE ACFT FOLLOWING A MAINT PROC. ITS ABSENCE WAS NOT NOTED DURING PREFLT DUE TO ITS LOCATION NOT BEING ROUTINELY VISIBLE.

Narrative: WE DEPARTED ZZZ IN THE MORNING AND FLEW TO ZZZ1 AND ZZZ2. UPON ARR IN ZZZ2; WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO CONTACT DISPATCH. WE WERE THEN XFERRED TO MAINT CTL AND THEY ADVISED US THAT MAINT IN ZZZ MAY HAVE FORGOTTEN TO REPLACE A PANEL ON THE ACFT BEFORE THEY TOWED IT TO THE GATE THAT MORNING. UPON INSPECTION; IT WAS FOUND THAT THEY HAD NOT REPLACED THE FLAP XMISSION CTL PANEL. THIS PANEL IS LOCATED IN AN INCONSPICUOUS LOCATION UNDERNEATH THE ACFT AFT OF THE MAIN GEAR. DESPITE THE LARGE SIZE (2 FT BY 3 FT); THE LOCATION MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO NOTICE THAT IT WAS MISSING DUE TO THE FACT THAT NO MAJOR POINTS OF INSPECTION DURING THE PREFLT ADEQUATELY COVER THE AREA AND IT IS NOT NOTICED BY SOMEONE WALKING AROUND THE ACFT. AN MEL DOES NOT EXIST THAT WOULD COVER THE PANEL FOR OP. AS A RESULT THE ACFT WAS FERRIED TO ZZZ3 FOR PANEL INSTALLATION. I COULD NOT BELIEVE THAT SOMEONE WOULD FORGET TO INSTALL THIS PANEL BACK ON THE ACFT. AND I WOULD ASSUME THAT PROCS ARE IN PLACE TO PREVENT IT FROM HAPPENING.

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.