Narrative:

Flight crew arrived for an early departure. The aircraft logbook had appropriate signoffs for 'ETOPS service check' and MEL 26-14-1A (aft cargo fire loop B) and overnight cleaning. The log also indicated that windmill bags had been removed and accomplished and signed off by mechanic. The first officer returned to the cockpit and informed me that both windmill bags were still installed on both engines #1 and #2. The crew and airplane were ready for pushback. Almost 19 minutes after calling for a mechanic; mechanic arrived and signed off the write up of windmill bags still being installed. Bags were removed before mechanic arrived (I personally checked). Push back was accomplished. This is another potential safety issue. Hypothetically; if a first officer had rushed during his preflight during the hours of darkness; he might not see the sandbags leading to a large problem during engine start. In essence; this causes me concern as to why write ups are being entered into the logbook without actually having done the work. What else did the mechanic sign off and not accomplish? What quality of maintenance outsourcing is the company actually being provided?

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-700 HAD LOGBOOK MAINT RELEASE SIGNED AND READY FOR DEP WHEN FO RPTED WINDMILL SAND BAGS STILL IN ENGS.

Narrative: FLT CREW ARRIVED FOR AN EARLY DEP. THE ACFT LOGBOOK HAD APPROPRIATE SIGNOFFS FOR 'ETOPS SVC CHK' AND MEL 26-14-1A (AFT CARGO FIRE LOOP B) AND OVERNIGHT CLEANING. THE LOG ALSO INDICATED THAT WINDMILL BAGS HAD BEEN REMOVED AND ACCOMPLISHED AND SIGNED OFF BY MECHANIC. THE FO RETURNED TO THE COCKPIT AND INFORMED ME THAT BOTH WINDMILL BAGS WERE STILL INSTALLED ON BOTH ENGS #1 AND #2. THE CREW AND AIRPLANE WERE READY FOR PUSHBACK. ALMOST 19 MINUTES AFTER CALLING FOR A MECHANIC; MECHANIC ARRIVED AND SIGNED OFF THE WRITE UP OF WINDMILL BAGS STILL BEING INSTALLED. BAGS WERE REMOVED BEFORE MECHANIC ARRIVED (I PERSONALLY CHKED). PUSH BACK WAS ACCOMPLISHED. THIS IS ANOTHER POTENTIAL SAFETY ISSUE. HYPOTHETICALLY; IF A FO HAD RUSHED DURING HIS PREFLT DURING THE HOURS OF DARKNESS; HE MIGHT NOT SEE THE SANDBAGS LEADING TO A LARGE PROB DURING ENG START. IN ESSENCE; THIS CAUSES ME CONCERN AS TO WHY WRITE UPS ARE BEING ENTERED INTO THE LOGBOOK WITHOUT ACTUALLY HAVING DONE THE WORK. WHAT ELSE DID THE MECHANIC SIGN OFF AND NOT ACCOMPLISH? WHAT QUALITY OF MAINT OUTSOURCING IS THE COMPANY ACTUALLY BEING PROVIDED?

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.