Commuter flight crew has problem with maintenance handling of logbook write-up.

Attributes
ACN	247355
Time
Date	199307
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pit
State Reference	PA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 6300 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	247355
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Due to the lack of description in a maintenance discrepancy report by the captain, the pit maintenance crew was able to misrepresent the fault to the manufacturer technical representatives. This allowed an improper maintenance carry-over and dispatch of aircraft into revenue service. When further description of the damaged part was added to the maintenance log by this pilot, the entry was crossed out, labeled 'entered in error' and signed by the chief pilot. The damaged part is still on the aircraft at this time. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states he had to insist that the captain write up the nosewheel discrepancy. Reporter then added his comments which is what the chief pilot crossed out. Reporter was called in to chief pilots office and told as first officer he has no right to make entries in logbook. This regulation can be found nowhere in FAA or company information. First officer is responsible for preflight inspection but unable to comment in logbook? This incident is not alone. It is one of many that have occurred throughout the summer and some have been serious safety problems. Reporter feels company maintenance is getting worse and thus his great concern.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER FLC HAS PROB WITH MAINT HANDLING OF LOGBOOK WRITE-UP.

Narrative: DUE TO THE LACK OF DESCRIPTION IN A MAINT DISCREPANCY RPT BY THE CAPT, THE PIT MAINT CREW WAS ABLE TO MISREPRESENT THE FAULT TO THE MANUFACTURER TECHNICAL REPRESENTATIVES. THIS ALLOWED AN IMPROPER MAINT CARRY-OVER AND DISPATCH OF ACFT INTO REVENUE SVC. WHEN FURTHER DESCRIPTION OF THE DAMAGED PART WAS ADDED TO THE MAINT LOG BY THIS PLT, THE ENTRY WAS CROSSED OUT, LABELED 'ENTERED IN ERROR' AND SIGNED BY THE CHIEF PLT. THE DAMAGED PART IS STILL ON THE ACFT AT THIS TIME. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES HE HAD TO INSIST THAT THE CAPT WRITE UP THE NOSEWHEEL DISCREPANCY. RPTR THEN ADDED HIS COMMENTS WHICH IS WHAT THE CHIEF PLT CROSSED OUT. RPTR WAS CALLED IN TO CHIEF PLTS OFFICE AND TOLD AS FO HE HAS NO RIGHT TO MAKE ENTRIES IN LOGBOOK. THIS REG CAN BE FOUND NOWHERE IN FAA OR COMPANY INFO. FO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PREFLT INSPECTION BUT UNABLE TO COMMENT IN LOGBOOK? THIS INCIDENT IS NOT ALONE. IT IS ONE OF MANY THAT HAVE OCCURRED THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER AND SOME HAVE BEEN SERIOUS SAFETY PROBS. RPTR FEELS COMPANY MAINT IS GETTING WORSE AND THUS HIS GREAT CONCERN.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.