Narrative:

We had an xb departure and our aircraft didn't block in until xa after rushing to get out on time. One of the management pilots, jumpseating on company business, pointed out a write-up in the aircraft logbook which had not been signed off. The captain claims to have been told by the crew getting off that there were no write-ups. I just plain didn't look at it. Fortunately the write-up concerned the APU which we MEL'd by phone, at the destination. The problem arose mainly due to a quick turn, aircraft swap, and a failure to thoroughly complete a checklist item. 'Logbook and manuals...checked/on board.' after the walk around, getting ATIS and a clearance, I had checked the log for a current preflight/daily maintenance inspection, checked the previous write-ups for a history, checked the deferred page, and entered the crew names on the first sheet of the day but failed to lift the first and look at the second sheet for 'today's' write-up history (or open). Factors contributing were, first, the captain's failure to check the log. Second, the previous crew either did not call maintenance or, if they had, maintenance never had time to respond. Third, although not a written policy, in practice, when a crew is getting off an aircraft, leaving an open write-up. Tell the next crew or leave the log in a conspicuous place open to the second page with the gripe showing for the next crew or maintenance to see. In this case the log was stowed in a slot between the cockpit seats. Fourth, the captain is not one of the favorites to fly with, for various reasons, which has a negative effect on quality performance. To prevent this from reoccurring, I have reviewed the expanded version of the receiving checklist, made my own checklist of duties for getting on a new aircraft, and will absolutely refuse to be rushed.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT DEPARTED WITH OPEN MAINTENANCE ITEM IN LOGBOOK.

Narrative: WE HAD AN XB DEP AND OUR ACFT DIDN'T BLOCK IN UNTIL XA AFTER RUSHING TO GET OUT ON TIME. ONE OF THE MGMNT PLTS, JUMPSEATING ON COMPANY BUSINESS, POINTED OUT A WRITE-UP IN THE ACFT LOGBOOK WHICH HAD NOT BEEN SIGNED OFF. THE CAPT CLAIMS TO HAVE BEEN TOLD BY THE CREW GETTING OFF THAT THERE WERE NO WRITE-UPS. I JUST PLAIN DIDN'T LOOK AT IT. FORTUNATELY THE WRITE-UP CONCERNED THE APU WHICH WE MEL'D BY PHONE, AT THE DEST. THE PROBLEM AROSE MAINLY DUE TO A QUICK TURN, ACFT SWAP, AND A FAILURE TO THOROUGHLY COMPLETE A CHECKLIST ITEM. 'LOGBOOK AND MANUALS...CHECKED/ON BOARD.' AFTER THE WALK AROUND, GETTING ATIS AND A CLRNC, I HAD CHECKED THE LOG FOR A CURRENT PREFLT/DAILY MAINT INSPECTION, CHECKED THE PREVIOUS WRITE-UPS FOR A HISTORY, CHECKED THE DEFERRED PAGE, AND ENTERED THE CREW NAMES ON THE FIRST SHEET OF THE DAY BUT FAILED TO LIFT THE FIRST AND LOOK AT THE SECOND SHEET FOR 'TODAY'S' WRITE-UP HISTORY (OR OPEN). FACTORS CONTRIBUTING WERE, FIRST, THE CAPT'S FAILURE TO CHECK THE LOG. SECOND, THE PREVIOUS CREW EITHER DID NOT CALL MAINT OR, IF THEY HAD, MAINT NEVER HAD TIME TO RESPOND. THIRD, ALTHOUGH NOT A WRITTEN POLICY, IN PRACTICE, WHEN A CREW IS GETTING OFF AN ACFT, LEAVING AN OPEN WRITE-UP. TELL THE NEXT CREW OR LEAVE THE LOG IN A CONSPICUOUS PLACE OPEN TO THE SECOND PAGE WITH THE GRIPE SHOWING FOR THE NEXT CREW OR MAINT TO SEE. IN THIS CASE THE LOG WAS STOWED IN A SLOT BETWEEN THE COCKPIT SEATS. FOURTH, THE CAPT IS NOT ONE OF THE FAVORITES TO FLY WITH, FOR VARIOUS REASONS, WHICH HAS A NEGATIVE EFFECT ON QUALITY PERFORMANCE. TO PREVENT THIS FROM REOCCURRING, I HAVE REVIEWED THE EXPANDED VERSION OF THE RECEIVING CHECKLIST, MADE MY OWN CHECKLIST OF DUTIES FOR GETTING ON A NEW ACFT, AND WILL ABSOLUTELY REFUSE TO BE RUSHED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.