Regional Jet 200 ER/LR (CRJ200)
Maintenance Powerplant; Maintenance Airframe
Communication Breakdown; Situational Awareness; Troubleshooting
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Aircraft Aircraft Damaged; General Maintenance Action
Aircraft; Procedure; Manuals; MEL; Logbook Entry; Chart Or Publication; Company Policy; Human Factors
Company CRJ-200 aircraft landed at an out station and the pilots called and reported a lightning strike. I called Contract Maintenance to perform 'Visual En-Route Inspection for Lightning Strike Damage' [per Structures Card]. After Contract Maintenance Mechanic inspected the aircraft; he called and reported a bonding strap on the nose gear door was disconnected and cosmetic paint burn marks on the right hand nose landing gear door and on the fuselage. I told him to record his findings on the structures card; and also record on the Maintenance Log; the re-securing of the bonding strap. When the aircraft arrived in a Maintenance Station; the line mechanics reported to the Maintenance Controller that took over my desk for the day; that there was more damage than reported on the structures card. If I had been aware of more damage than what the Contract Mechanic had reported; I would not have allowed the aircraft to leave the out station. I believe there was insufficient inspection of the aircraft from the outside [Contract] Mechanic. Suggest that in future events; I would ask for pictures of found damage and give more instruction on where to look on the aircraft for the inspection; and challenge a little harder about inspection areas.
A Maintenance Controller was informed he had released a CRJ-200 aircraft for continued service with lightning strike damage that was more substantial than the information a Contract Maintenance Mechanic had provided to him.