Narrative:

Upon arriving at the aircraft, the mechanics were working on a maintenance item. The mechanics doing the work signed off (in the logbook) that the work had been completed and left the cockpit and the aircraft doors were closed in preparation for pushback. This trip was being observed by an FAA inspector who was giving a line check to me. At about time for scheduled departure, the mechanic called on the interphone and informed me that they still had things to complete on the items they had already signed off in the logbook and it would be another 15 mins before we would depart. The FAA inspector then asked me 'if those items had already been signed off, why were they still working on them.' I requested that the mechanics put the jet loader back up to the front door and come to the cockpit. They then said that when completing their work, a part had been lost into the engine and that's why they had more to do. The FAA inspector said the items should not have been signed off until the work was done. I required that they again sign off the item. The FAA inspector at the end of the line check informed me a report of the incident would be written. I had no way of knowing that the work was not completed. I could not see the #1 engine because of jet loaders in place. The first time I knew that they had not completed their work is when they called me on the interphone. Supplemental information from acn 313029: the #1 engine reverser was written up as being unlocked and unable to stow. Our maintenance staff informed us that the reverser was going to be locked out, and unusable for flight. This maintenance item was deferred per the aircraft MEL. The captain inspected the logbook, and was satisfied that the work was complete. At XA58 local the tug operator advised the cockpit that the aircraft was almost ready for push-back, except that maintenance was still working on the #1 reverser. This comment came as a total surprise to the entire crew, because the logbook discrepancies had been signed off, we felt the work had been completed.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B747-200 INCOMPLETE MEL ITEM WAS ENDORSED AS COMPLETED PRIOR TO ITS COMPLETION.

Narrative: UPON ARRIVING AT THE ACFT, THE MECHS WERE WORKING ON A MAINT ITEM. THE MECHS DOING THE WORK SIGNED OFF (IN THE LOGBOOK) THAT THE WORK HAD BEEN COMPLETED AND LEFT THE COCKPIT AND THE ACFT DOORS WERE CLOSED IN PREPARATION FOR PUSHBACK. THIS TRIP WAS BEING OBSERVED BY AN FAA INSPECTOR WHO WAS GIVING A LINE CHK TO ME. AT ABOUT TIME FOR SCHEDULED DEP, THE MECH CALLED ON THE INTERPHONE AND INFORMED ME THAT THEY STILL HAD THINGS TO COMPLETE ON THE ITEMS THEY HAD ALREADY SIGNED OFF IN THE LOGBOOK AND IT WOULD BE ANOTHER 15 MINS BEFORE WE WOULD DEPART. THE FAA INSPECTOR THEN ASKED ME 'IF THOSE ITEMS HAD ALREADY BEEN SIGNED OFF, WHY WERE THEY STILL WORKING ON THEM.' I REQUESTED THAT THE MECHS PUT THE JET LOADER BACK UP TO THE FRONT DOOR AND COME TO THE COCKPIT. THEY THEN SAID THAT WHEN COMPLETING THEIR WORK, A PART HAD BEEN LOST INTO THE ENG AND THAT'S WHY THEY HAD MORE TO DO. THE FAA INSPECTOR SAID THE ITEMS SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN SIGNED OFF UNTIL THE WORK WAS DONE. I REQUIRED THAT THEY AGAIN SIGN OFF THE ITEM. THE FAA INSPECTOR AT THE END OF THE LINE CHK INFORMED ME A RPT OF THE INCIDENT WOULD BE WRITTEN. I HAD NO WAY OF KNOWING THAT THE WORK WAS NOT COMPLETED. I COULD NOT SEE THE #1 ENG BECAUSE OF JET LOADERS IN PLACE. THE FIRST TIME I KNEW THAT THEY HAD NOT COMPLETED THEIR WORK IS WHEN THEY CALLED ME ON THE INTERPHONE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 313029: THE #1 ENG REVERSER WAS WRITTEN UP AS BEING UNLOCKED AND UNABLE TO STOW. OUR MAINT STAFF INFORMED US THAT THE REVERSER WAS GOING TO BE LOCKED OUT, AND UNUSABLE FOR FLT. THIS MAINT ITEM WAS DEFERRED PER THE ACFT MEL. THE CAPT INSPECTED THE LOGBOOK, AND WAS SATISFIED THAT THE WORK WAS COMPLETE. AT XA58 LCL THE TUG OPERATOR ADVISED THE COCKPIT THAT THE ACFT WAS ALMOST READY FOR PUSH-BACK, EXCEPT THAT MAINT WAS STILL WORKING ON THE #1 REVERSER. THIS COMMENT CAME AS A TOTAL SURPRISE TO THE ENTIRE CREW, BECAUSE THE LOGBOOK DISCREPANCIES HAD BEEN SIGNED OFF, WE FELT THE WORK HAD BEEN COMPLETED.

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.