A BEECH 1900D WAS DISPATCHED IN NON COMPLIANCE FOR 52 FLTS WITH THE PITOT MAST DRAIN PORT COVERED WITH ELECTRICAL TAPE NOT REMOVED AFTER MAINT.

Narrative

ABOUT 2 WKS PRIOR; THE MAINT DEPT PERFORMED SOME SORT OF STATIC CHK ON THE AIRPLANE. TO PERFORM THE CHK; THEY PLACED A SMALL BLACK PIECE OF ELECTRICAL TAPE ON THE PITOT DRAIN HOLE. HOWEVER; THEY FORGOT TO MAKE AN ENTRY IN THE ACFT MAINT LOG CAN OF THIS ACTION. THUS; THEY FORGOT TO REMOVE THE TAPE. THE ACFT FLEW FOR 52 FLTS PRIOR TO MY FLT IN THE ACFT. BY THIS TIME; THE TAPE MUST HAVE BEEN MELTED (DUE TO THE PITOT HEAT); AND SINCE THE PITOT TUBE ITSELF IS BLACK; THE TAPE WAS MISSED ON A WALKAROUND BY MYSELF. THE ACFT WAS PREFLTED BY ANOTHER CREW MEMBER EARLIER IN THE MORNING. I WAS JUST INFORMED OF THIS INCIDENT ON OCT/XA/99. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: RELIANCE UPON ANOTHER CREW MEMBER; DAWN CONDITIONS (LOW LIGHTING); MAINT OMISSION; DIVISION OF ATTN BY MYSELF WHILE PERFORMING WALKAROUND; AND A BLACK PITOT TUBE. FACTORS AFFECTING THE QUALITY OF HUMAN PERFORMANCE: PRESSURE FROM THE COMPANY FOR ON-TIME DEPS; RELIANCE UPON OTHERS FOR ACCOMPLISHING CERTAIN TASKS; SIMILAR COLORED PITOT TUBE WITH BLACK ELECTRICIAN'S TAPE; FEELING HURRIED AND LETTING THAT FEELING CTL YOUR ACTIONS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE ACFT WAS A BEECH 1900D. THE RPTR SAID THE INITIAL RPT WAS A 200 FT DIFFERENCE BTWN THE CAPT'S AND FO'S ALTIMETER WHICH WAS CORRECTED BY MAINT. THE RPTR SAID WHEN THE SYS WAS TESTED THE REQUIRED LOGBOOK ENTRIES FOR INSTALLATION AND REMOVAL OF THE TAPE WERE NOT ENTERED. THE RPTR SAID THE BLACK ELECTRICAL TAPE IS THE EXACT SAME COLOR AS THE PITOT MAST AND WAS MISSED.