A B727 was dispatched in non compliance with open logbook items unanswered.

Attributes
ACN	432970
Time
Date	199903
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : fll.airport
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : maintenance ground : parked ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 90 flight time total : 7900 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	432970
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe maintenance problem : improper documentation non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure non adherence other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Factors
Maintenance	performance deficiency : logbook entry
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

While this is a very minor problem, my failure to adequately supervise the flight engineer in writing up the aft lavatory and proper signoff procedures led to our takeoff with the logbook and the release not in agreement as to airworthiness. All maintenance operations restrs in the MEL were complied with by qualified people. The release showed the MEL item with initials. The flight engineer thought he had talked to maintenance control, when in fact he talked to a dispatcher. What he took to be a maintenance control authority/authorized number did not look correct to me, but I decided to take off where we could get a better (clrer) radio link with maintenance control and then enter the proper number. When we made that call it became clear that maintenance control had not been consulted, as required by our manuals.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B727 WAS DISPATCHED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH OPEN LOGBOOK ITEMS UNANSWERED.

Narrative: WHILE THIS IS A VERY MINOR PROB, MY FAILURE TO ADEQUATELY SUPERVISE THE FE IN WRITING UP THE AFT LAVATORY AND PROPER SIGNOFF PROCS LED TO OUR TKOF WITH THE LOGBOOK AND THE RELEASE NOT IN AGREEMENT AS TO AIRWORTHINESS. ALL MAINT OPS RESTRS IN THE MEL WERE COMPLIED WITH BY QUALIFIED PEOPLE. THE RELEASE SHOWED THE MEL ITEM WITH INITIALS. THE FE THOUGHT HE HAD TALKED TO MAINT CTL, WHEN IN FACT HE TALKED TO A DISPATCHER. WHAT HE TOOK TO BE A MAINT CTL AUTH NUMBER DID NOT LOOK CORRECT TO ME, BUT I DECIDED TO TAKE OFF WHERE WE COULD GET A BETTER (CLRER) RADIO LINK WITH MAINT CTL AND THEN ENTER THE PROPER NUMBER. WHEN WE MADE THAT CALL IT BECAME CLR THAT MAINT CTL HAD NOT BEEN CONSULTED, AS REQUIRED BY OUR MANUALS.

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.