ATR 72 flown with an open maintenance item in logbook.

Attributes
ACN	302817
Time
Date	199504
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord
State Reference	IL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	ATR 72
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	302817
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	non adherence other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I accepted aircraft, an ATR 72, for a series of flts from ord to mke to ord to msn. Our dispatch release showed an inoperative light in the gear handle. Once onboard I saw an inoperative sticker by the failed light. I then checked the maintenance log and saw the write-up and action taken. I thought all proper actions had been taken and we were legal for flight. Several days later I learned that the gear light write-up had been flight crew placarded and had not subsequently been addressed by maintenance prior to any further flts. This caused me to fly 3 flts with an open maintenance item. In checking the 3 previous days log sheets prior to my flts, as required by company, I failed to notice the flight crew placarding write- up. I don't know if my failure to see it was due to hurried inspection of log, distraction with another mechanical problem when I accepted the aircraft or simply looking but not seeing. I plan on taking more time during preflight duties, not getting rushed and being more thorough. I have also received my company's MEL procedures.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATR 72 FLOWN WITH AN OPEN MAINT ITEM IN LOGBOOK.

Narrative: I ACCEPTED ACFT, AN ATR 72, FOR A SERIES OF FLTS FROM ORD TO MKE TO ORD TO MSN. OUR DISPATCH RELEASE SHOWED AN INOP LIGHT IN THE GEAR HANDLE. ONCE ONBOARD I SAW AN INOP STICKER BY THE FAILED LIGHT. I THEN CHKED THE MAINT LOG AND SAW THE WRITE-UP AND ACTION TAKEN. I THOUGHT ALL PROPER ACTIONS HAD BEEN TAKEN AND WE WERE LEGAL FOR FLT. SEVERAL DAYS LATER I LEARNED THAT THE GEAR LIGHT WRITE-UP HAD BEEN FLC PLACARDED AND HAD NOT SUBSEQUENTLY BEEN ADDRESSED BY MAINT PRIOR TO ANY FURTHER FLTS. THIS CAUSED ME TO FLY 3 FLTS WITH AN OPEN MAINT ITEM. IN CHKING THE 3 PREVIOUS DAYS LOG SHEETS PRIOR TO MY FLTS, AS REQUIRED BY COMPANY, I FAILED TO NOTICE THE FLC PLACARDING WRITE- UP. I DON'T KNOW IF MY FAILURE TO SEE IT WAS DUE TO HURRIED INSPECTION OF LOG, DISTR WITH ANOTHER MECHANICAL PROB WHEN I ACCEPTED THE ACFT OR SIMPLY LOOKING BUT NOT SEEING. I PLAN ON TAKING MORE TIME DURING PREFLT DUTIES, NOT GETTING RUSHED AND BEING MORE THOROUGH. I HAVE ALSO RECEIVED MY COMPANY'S MEL PROCS.

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.