B757 crew missed open MEL item in logbook en route to ewr.

Attributes
ACN	453450
Time
Date	199910
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ewr.airport
State Reference	NJ
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 13600 flight time type : 2600
ASRS Report	453450
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe maintenance problem : non compliance with mel non adherence : far
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : logbook other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Maintenance Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

En route cle-ewr, flight XXX, oct/xa/99, while writing up a discrepancy in aircraft log, I noted an unclred write-up that had not been signed off by maintenance. The log page had been folded over, like cleared discrepancy pages, and I did not notice on preflight inspection. The unclred item was for a light bulb in the no smoking/seatbelt sign in row xx, not a safety of flight item.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757 CREW MISSED OPEN MEL ITEM IN LOGBOOK ENRTE TO EWR.

Narrative: ENRTE CLE-EWR, FLT XXX, OCT/XA/99, WHILE WRITING UP A DISCREPANCY IN ACFT LOG, I NOTED AN UNCLRED WRITE-UP THAT HAD NOT BEEN SIGNED OFF BY MAINT. THE LOG PAGE HAD BEEN FOLDED OVER, LIKE CLRED DISCREPANCY PAGES, AND I DID NOT NOTICE ON PREFLT INSPECTION. THE UNCLRED ITEM WAS FOR A LIGHT BULB IN THE NO SMOKING/SEATBELT SIGN IN ROW XX, NOT A SAFETY OF FLT 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.