An open logbook item leads to an FAA report and investigation.

Attributes
ACN	301183
Time
Date	199503
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dfw airport : clt
State Reference	NC
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
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 : 10000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	301183
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 other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

APU overspd warning light came on in clt before takeoff. We were #2 for departure. This is a problem that can normally be corrected by resetting the switch in east and east section under aircraft. We would have it looked at in dfw (our destination airport) late arrival in dfw. The push is for a quick turn. Operations notified of need for airstart outbound. No maintenance except contract maintenance in dfw. This would lead to at least 1 hour delay. Captain elects to take plane to pit (our next destination) where full maintenance can be provided. I'm under impression that captain cleared this matter with maintenance control and obtained verbal MEL (the FAA is riding jumpseat). I did not learn until a few nights ago that he did not, and FAA wrote a report on this. I accept part blame, as I was a crew member and should have questioned the captain on this write up or checked the status of the logbook. Cockpit resource management is teaching crew members to participate more in these types of procedures, but I truly thought the captain would follow policy strictly with FAA looking over both shoulders. Perhaps he did not know this or maybe he wasn't thinking at the time. I should have participated more in the decision to fly to pit with this 'open maintenance item.'

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN OPEN LOGBOOK ITEM LEADS TO AN FAA RPT AND INVESTIGATION.

Narrative: APU OVERSPD WARNING LIGHT CAME ON IN CLT BEFORE TKOF. WE WERE #2 FOR DEP. THIS IS A PROB THAT CAN NORMALLY BE CORRECTED BY RESETTING THE SWITCH IN E AND E SECTION UNDER ACFT. WE WOULD HAVE IT LOOKED AT IN DFW (OUR DEST ARPT) LATE ARR IN DFW. THE PUSH IS FOR A QUICK TURN. OPS NOTIFIED OF NEED FOR AIRSTART OUTBOUND. NO MAINT EXCEPT CONTRACT MAINT IN DFW. THIS WOULD LEAD TO AT LEAST 1 HR DELAY. CAPT ELECTS TO TAKE PLANE TO PIT (OUR NEXT DEST) WHERE FULL MAINT CAN BE PROVIDED. I'M UNDER IMPRESSION THAT CAPT CLRED THIS MATTER WITH MAINT CTL AND OBTAINED VERBAL MEL (THE FAA IS RIDING JUMPSEAT). I DID NOT LEARN UNTIL A FEW NIGHTS AGO THAT HE DID NOT, AND FAA WROTE A RPT ON THIS. I ACCEPT PART BLAME, AS I WAS A CREW MEMBER AND SHOULD HAVE QUESTIONED THE CAPT ON THIS WRITE UP OR CHKED THE STATUS OF THE LOGBOOK. COCKPIT RESOURCE MGMNT IS TEACHING CREW MEMBERS TO PARTICIPATE MORE IN THESE TYPES OF PROCS, BUT I TRULY THOUGHT THE CAPT WOULD FOLLOW POLICY STRICTLY WITH FAA LOOKING OVER BOTH SHOULDERS. PERHAPS HE DID NOT KNOW THIS OR MAYBE HE WASN'T THINKING AT THE TIME. I SHOULD HAVE PARTICIPATED MORE IN THE DECISION TO FLY TO PIT WITH THIS 'OPEN MAINT ITEM.'

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.