B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Communication Breakdown; Situational Awareness
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
General Maintenance Action
Aircraft; Human Factors; Incorrect / Not Installed / Unavailable Part
Our Air Carrier's ZZZ Line Maintenance group NEEDS TO BE REMINDED OF FAA REQUIREMENTS TO NOT FALSIFY MAINTENANCE ACTIVITY ON OUR AIRCRAFT. During the walk around at ZZZ; my First Officer discovered five missing fasteners on the fuselage in various locations. Maintenance request write-ups were sent via ACARS and ZZZ Line Maintenance was notified by radio. We offered to have the First Officer come downstairs to point out the missing fasteners. Soon afterwards; customer service said maintenance was done and closed up the cabin doors. We received a new Maintenance Release; stating that all missing fasteners were replaced. Based on prior negative experience with ZZZ Line Maintenance; I decided to go downstairs after we arrived in ZZZ1 to see if all the fasteners had really been replaced. Unfortunately; one of the missing fasteners on the left side of the fuselage near the center tank sump drain was still missing and had not been replaced as stated in the Maintenance Release. I suspect that the hole with the missing fastener probably doesn't have a nut plate; and to avoid delay somebody signed-off the fastener as having been replaced when in fact it could not. I have heard of and personally experienced a bad attitude from some of the AMTs employed by our company who scoff at us when we write-up missing fasteners. It is clear they view missing fasteners as no big deal and something that should be overlooked in the interest of not delaying flights. Our maintenance personnel should instead be reminded that the best way to avoid delays is to complete work on our aircraft correctly and completely AT ALL TIMES. In the future I will stay down on the ramp at ZZZ to make sure the work is completed correctly and so I do not inadvertently fly an unairworthy aircraft. I was unable to write-up the still missing fastener using the ACARS; but contacted ZZZ1 Line Maintenance by phone and told them about it. They said they would take care of it. Hopefully so. Upon arrival at ZZZ1; hole with missing fastener clearly shows. Airworthiness Documentation issue. Maintenance Inspection Not Completed.
A Captain reports on the need to remind their Line Maintenance group of the FAA requirements to not falsify maintenance activity on company aircraft. After writing-up five missing fasteners on the lower fuselage of their B757-200 aircraft; only four were replaced. But the new Maintenance Release stated all five had been installed.