AN EMB145ER WAS DISCOVERED TO HAVE A RIVET BUCKING BAR LEFT IN THE LOGO LIGHT HOUSING. LIGHT HOUSING INCURRED SLIGHT DAMAGE.

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ON PREFLT OF ACFT XXX; THERE WAS FOD VISIBLE IN THE L LOGO LIGHT AREA. WE REQUESTED MAINT TO CHK. AT THAT POINT MAINT CAME; AND TOLD CREW THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG. THEY STATED THAT IT WAS JUST THE LOGO LIGHT HOUSING. HOWEVER; I'VE DONE NUMEROUS PREFLTS AND NEVER SEEN THIS SIT BEFORE. NOT UNTIL I DEMANDED A LIFT BE USED TO INSPECT THE AREA WOULD I BE SATISFIED. MYSELF AND A MAINT TECHNICIAN WENT TO THE TOP OF THE TAIL. LO AND BEHOLD WHAT DID WE FIND? A BUCKING BAR USED FOR RIVETING. WHO KNOWS HOW LONG THIS TOOL WAS THERE; BUT IF IT GOT LODGED IN THE CTL CABLES; A FATAL HULL LOSS TYPE ACCIDENT COULD HAVE OCCURRED. THIS TOOL COULD HAVE BEEN LEFT THERE FROM MANUFACTURING; BUT I DOUBT IT. THERE ARE NO IDENTING MARKS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: WHEN THE RPTR BROUGHT THE ATTN OF THE GND CREW TO THE BUCKING BAR AND THE OBVIOUS LOGO LIGHT HOUSING DISTORTION; THERE WAS GREAT RELUCTANCE ON THE PART OF MAINT TO INVESTIGATE. NO ANSWER WAS RECEIVED FROM THE COMPANY ON THE SUBJECT OF THE RPT.