A B737-300 crew accepts their aircraft with an open item in the logbook prior to departure lax, ca.

Attributes
ACN	459210
Time
Date	199912
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lax.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : takeoff roll ground : preflight ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	459210
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 300 flight time total : 25000 flight time type : 20000
ASRS Report	459085
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe maintenance problem : improper documentation maintenance problem : non compliance with mel non adherence : company policies non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other other : 4
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Maintenance Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

On jan/xa/00, I was notified by my chief pilot of my apparent oversight of an open logbook entry. The entry was made by the terminating crew, regarding the white wingtip tail light being inoperative. The previous crew also failed to have the bulb changed or enter this item with an MEL/sticker in the cockpit. Supplemental information from acn 459085: accepted the aircraft with a position light inoperative -- aft position inoperative on aircraft -- for flight from lax to oak.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-300 CREW ACCEPTS THEIR ACFT WITH AN OPEN ITEM IN THE LOGBOOK PRIOR TO DEP LAX, CA.

Narrative: ON JAN/XA/00, I WAS NOTIFIED BY MY CHIEF PLT OF MY APPARENT OVERSIGHT OF AN OPEN LOGBOOK ENTRY. THE ENTRY WAS MADE BY THE TERMINATING CREW, REGARDING THE WHITE WINGTIP TAIL LIGHT BEING INOP. THE PREVIOUS CREW ALSO FAILED TO HAVE THE BULB CHANGED OR ENTER THIS ITEM WITH AN MEL/STICKER IN THE COCKPIT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 459085: ACCEPTED THE ACFT WITH A POS LIGHT INOP -- AFT POS INOP ON ACFT -- FOR FLT FROM LAX TO OAK.

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.