A DC10-10 WAS FOUND TO HAVE A FLOOR BEAM CRACKED. THIS CRACK WAS NOT DISCLOSED UNTIL THE NEXT DAY AFTER THE AIRPLANE WAS DISPATCHED AND IN SVC.

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I WAS SUPERVISING A #3 ENG THRUST REVERSER RIG ON XXXXX. AT APPROX XA00L I WAS IN THE FORWARD AVIONICS COMPARTMENT DOING A VISUAL INSPECTION FOR ANYTHING THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN LEFT IN THE AREA DURING 'B' CHK. AT THAT TIME I NOTICED WHAT LOOKED LIKE A PIECE OF FLOOR STRUCTURE WITH A CRACK. I LOOKED CLOSER AND DETERMINED THAT AT STATION 401 A SECTION OF FLOOR STRUCTURE WAS CRACKED. THE CRACK WAS IN THE LOWER END OF A FLOOR BEAM RUNNING HORIZONTALLY ALONG THE RADIUS OF THE 'U' CHANNEL. I CHKED THE AREA ABOVE THE FLOOR TO DETERMINE WHAT MIGHT AFFECT THE FLOOR SUPPORT. THE AREA ABOVE THE FLOOR WAS NOT PROVIDING ANY DIRECT SUPPORT BUT SECURED A SECTION OF FLOOR BOARD. I CONTINUED WITH THE #3 ENG REVERSER ISSUE TILL APPROX XB00L. THE SHIFT MGR AND I WERE TRYING TO DEAL WITH 3 ACFT; 2 OF WHICH WERE IN THE PROCESS OF BEING PREPARED FOR RELEASE. THE 3RD WAS FOUND TO HAVE A DAMAGED ENG INLET PANEL. THAT ACFT WAS BEING PREPARED TO BE TURNED BACK OUT TO COVER THE FLT FOR XXX SINCE IT WAS RUNNING LATE. THIS RETURNED THE FOCUS BACK TO FINISHING XXX TO COVER ITS SCHEDULED FLT. I NEGLECTED TO ADVISE THE OTHER MGR OF THE FLOOR BEAM ISSUE AND THE ACFT WAS RELEASED FROM MAINT AT XC30L. I RPTED THE DAMAGE TO MY SR MGR THE NEXT DAY AT THE START OF MY SHIFT. I ADMIT THAT THIS WAS A POOR JUDGEMENT CALL AND THE ITEM SHOULD HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED WHEN IT WAS FOUND. THIS WAS A 14 HR DAY. I WAS NOT REQUIRED TO STAY THAT LONG BUT I WAS TRYING TO SUPPORT THE SHIFT MGR BECAUSE OF THE 20 EXTRA PEOPLE ON OVERTIME AND THE HVY ACTIVITY THAT NIGHT. I AM ONLY BRINGING THIS UP TO GIVE A CLRER PICTURE OF WHAT TOOK PLACE THAT NIGHT. I REALIZE THAT THERE IS NO JUSTIFICATION FOR NOT RPTING THE DAMAGE. THE ACFT WAS REPAIRED AT THE HANGAR FACILITY THE NEXT DAY WHEN IT RETURNED. THE PART WAS SHIPPED TO FACILITATE THE REPAIR.