Narrative:

First officer was running late. To prevent flight delays; I performed the first officer duties as well as my usual 'C/O' duties and I prepared the aircraft for the first flight of our trip. In the process; I neglected to check the logbook for write-ups. I later discovered to my dismay that there were 2 minor cabin/galley write-ups by the previous crew that had not been addressed by maintenance personnel. I take full responsibility for the omission. I attribute my error to the following: 1) extreme fatigue caused by airline management pushing all domestic crews of air carrier beyond reasonable human tolerances (for the sake of productivity). This is a problem that is growing to extremes with air carrier and must be addressed to prevent a tragedy. Our crews are exhausted; and if we call in sick we are harassed incessantly. 2) drastic changes in procedures and no real training on those unfamiliar procedures. Training by 'email' is cost-effective but quite ineffective.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 CAPT CITES FATIGUE AND LACK OF TRAINING AS THE CAUSES FOR FAILURE TO NOTE TWO OPEN MAINT ITEMS IN ACFT LOG.

Narrative: FO WAS RUNNING LATE. TO PREVENT FLT DELAYS; I PERFORMED THE FO DUTIES AS WELL AS MY USUAL 'C/O' DUTIES AND I PREPARED THE ACFT FOR THE FIRST FLT OF OUR TRIP. IN THE PROCESS; I NEGLECTED TO CHK THE LOGBOOK FOR WRITE-UPS. I LATER DISCOVERED TO MY DISMAY THAT THERE WERE 2 MINOR CABIN/GALLEY WRITE-UPS BY THE PREVIOUS CREW THAT HAD NOT BEEN ADDRESSED BY MAINT PERSONNEL. I TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE OMISSION. I ATTRIBUTE MY ERROR TO THE FOLLOWING: 1) EXTREME FATIGUE CAUSED BY AIRLINE MGMNT PUSHING ALL DOMESTIC CREWS OF ACR BEYOND REASONABLE HUMAN TOLERANCES (FOR THE SAKE OF PRODUCTIVITY). THIS IS A PROB THAT IS GROWING TO EXTREMES WITH ACR AND MUST BE ADDRESSED TO PREVENT A TRAGEDY. OUR CREWS ARE EXHAUSTED; AND IF WE CALL IN SICK WE ARE HARASSED INCESSANTLY. 2) DRASTIC CHANGES IN PROCS AND NO REAL TRAINING ON THOSE UNFAMILIAR PROCS. TRAINING BY 'EMAIL' IS COST-EFFECTIVE BUT QUITE INEFFECTIVE.

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.