MD80 CREW FOUND A LE SLAT DENTED THAT DID NOT HAVE A MAINT INSPECTION INDICATOR; NOTING PREVIOUS MAINT INSPECTION.

Narrative

DURING PREFLT; THE FO FOUND A SMALL DENT ON THE LEADING EDGE OF THE SLAT THAT LOOKED NEW. THE DENT WAS APPROX 1 1/2 INCH LONG AND ONE FOOT INBOARD FROM THE R WINGTIP. THERE WERE SEVERAL SIMILAR DENTS ALL ALONG THE SLATS ON BOTH WINGS. USUALLY; WHEN THEY HAVE BEEN INSPECTED; MAINT PUTS A 1 INCH OR 1/2 INCH SILVER DOT NEXT TO THE DENT TO SHOW IT IS WITHIN LIMITS. THIS HAD NO SILVER DOT. THE ACFT DAMAGE LOG WAS MISSING FROM THE LOGBOOK; SO WE CALLED MAINT FOR THEM TO BRING A DAMAGE LOG AND INSPECT THE DENT. THE MECH CAME WITH THE DAMAGE LOG AND POINTED OUT THAT THE DENT WAS ALREADY IN THE LOG. THE WRITE-UP IN THE LOG STATED 'THERE ARE 3 SMALL DENTS IN SLAT #1.' I ACCEPTED THE MECH'S WORD AND TOOK THE ACFT. 2 DAYS LATER; IT WAS BOTHERING ME; SO I CALLED MAINT CTL AND ASKED HOW THE SLATS WERE NUMBERED. TECH TOLD ME THEY ARE NUMBERED FROM THE FUSELAGE STARTING AT ZERO AND GO TO NUMBER 5. THE DENTS THE MECH POINTED OUT WERE REALLY ON #5 SLAT; NOT #1 SLAT. WAS THE MECH JUST TRYING TO SHOVE AN ACFT OFF THE GATE; OR DOES HE NOT KNOW WHAT IS WHERE ON THE MD-80? I WOULD ALSO ASK THE SAME OF THE MAINT SUPVR WHO OBSERVED THE CONVERSATION AND THE WORK TO LOOK AT THE DENT. IN EITHER CASE; I SHOULD HAVE WRITTEN IT UP IN THE LOGBOOK AND HAD MAINT SIGN IT OFF. I DIDN'T WRITE IT UP WHEN I WAS IN DOUBT.