CAPT AS GND OBS NOTICED FAIRING BETWEEN LOWER VERTICAL STABILIZER AND FUSELAGE WAS MISSING.

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I AM AN AIRLINES 767 CAPT. I HAVE FLOWN T CATEGORY ACFT AS AN FE; FO AND CAPT SINCE 1967. IN THE LATE 1960'S A DC-8 CRASHED SHORTLY AFTER TKOF ROTATION; AT JFK; DUE TO A PIECE OF FOD ENTERING THE FUSELAGE THROUGH A STRUCTURAL OPENING THAT OPERATED A CONTROL ROD FOR THE HORIZ STABILIZER. I BELIEVE PART OF THE FIX WAS TO INSTALL BRUSHES IN THE OPENING TO DEFLECT OBJECTS FROM ENTERING THE FUSELAGE. IN 1979 AND 1980; DURING A HOLIDAY; I WAS TRYING TO COMMUTE FROM SFO TO RNO ON ABC AIRLINES. THEY WERE USING A BOEING 737. AS THE INBOUND FLT I WAS TRYING TO TAKE APCHED THE GATE AT SFO; I NOTICED THAT THE LARGE FAIRING CONNECTING THE FORWARD LOWER VERT STABILIZER AND ACFT FUSELAGE WAS MISSING. I THOUGHT THE CAPT; FO OR A MECH WOULD SEE THE MISSING PART DURING THE WALK AROUND. I NEVER SAW ANYONE INSPECT THE EXTERIOR OF THE ACFT AND IT WENT UNNOTICED. THE FLT ALMOST DEPARTED THE GATE; WHEN I BROUGHT THE PROBLEM TO THE ATTENTION OF THE VERY BUSY TICKET AGENT WHO HAD BEEN BOARDING PAX. HE NOTIFIED THE COMPANY; THE OUTBOUND PAX WERE DEPLANED; AND THE ACFT WAS TAKEN OUT OF SVC. SOME THINGS THAT YOU MAY WANT TO RESEARCH; IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY DONE SO ARE: COULD THE COLORADO SPRINGS OR PITTSBURTH 737S LOST THIS FAIRING; IF SO; COULD MOISTURE; FOD; BIRDS; PART OF THE FAIRING OR ITS FASTENERS ENTER THE FUSELAGE JAMMING THE RUDDER OR ELEVATOR PACKAGE DURING CERTAIN PHASES OF FLT. IF THE ACFT FLEW WITHOUT THE FAIRING; THERE WOULD BE STRANGE NOISES HEARD IN THE CABIN. FOOD FOR THOUGHT IF IT HASN'T ALREADY BEEN LOOKED INTO.