SF340 FLC DOES NOT CONFIRM MAINT PRIOR TO DEP.

Narrative

I POSTFLTED THE ACFT WHICH WE WERE XFERRING FROM. I THEN WALKED TO THE NEXT ACFT (FOR OUR NEXT FLT). DURING THE FO'S PREFLT; HE NOTED 3 LOOSE SCREWS ON THE L UNDERSIDE HYD ACCESS PANEL AND 1 SCREW LOOSE ON THE R UNDERSIDE ACCESS PANEL. PANELS LOCATED UNDER RESPECTIVE LEADING EDGE WING ROOT AREA ON EACH SIDE. I LOOKED AT THE PANELS MYSELF; THEN CALLED COMPANY MAINT OVER THE RADIO. I WAS TOLD THEY WOULD BE RIGHT OVER. I HAD WRITTEN UP A PROB ON THE PLANE WHICH WE JUST DEPARTED; AND SINCE I SAW THE MECHS WORKING ON THAT PLANE; I FELT THEY WOULD BE OVER IN JUST A MIN FOR OUR QUICK FIX. THEY HAD TOLD ME THEY WOULD BE RIGHT OVER. I THEN BUSIED MYSELF WITH ALL THE OTHER MATTERS OF MAKING A QUICK PLANE CHANGE AND GETTING READY TO DEPART ON TIME FOR OUR NEXT FLT. MY MISTAKE WAS THAT I FAILED TO FOLLOW UP TO BE SURE THE MAINT WAS IN FACT DONE. WE DEPARTED MSP FOR BJI ON TIME AND UNDER NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES. IN THE DSCNT; THE FO AND I HEARD A THUMP. WE WERE UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE NOISE. WE TALKED WITH THE FLT ATTENDANT. SHE HAD HEARD IT TOO; BUT DIDN'T KNOW WHAT IT WAS AS WELL. WE HAD SEEN SEVERAL LARGE BIRDS SOARING; AND CONSIDERED THAT IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN A BIRD STRIKE. AFTER LNDG; I DID A WALKAROUND INSPECTION. I NOTED HOW PART OF THE PANEL WITH THE 3 LOOSE SCREWS HAD BEEN TORN BACK FROM THE SLIPSTREAM. THE DAMAGE WAS RPTED WAS RPTED TO MAINT AND A NEW PANEL WAS BROUGHT TO BJI AND FITTED. THE FLT; AFTER A 8 1/2 HR DELAY; RETURNED TO MSP. I THEN RPTED MY MISTAKE AND THE RESULTS TO OUR FLT DEPT MGMNT. AGAIN; BY FOLLOW-UP AND NOT ASSUMING THE WORK WOULD BE DONE; THE PROB WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED.