Narrative:

We arrived at ZZZ late; and had to change planes for the next flight. The departure process was rushed; with flight Y already boarding passenger when we arrived. We did our preflight checklist normally; but did not notice two logbook items left open on the last page. After departure from ZZZ the nose gear would not retract; necessitating a return to ZZZ. We declared an emergency; accomplished the checklists; and landed uneventfully. We parked at the gate and immediately noticed the nose strut was now collapsed (it was normal during preflight/taxi-out). Re-examined the logbook; the previous crew had written-up the nose gear for not retracting. The malfunction had been transmitted through the ACARS system; but no notation was on the MEL page or on the flight plan when we accepted the aircraft. The dispatcher had no knowledge of any write-ups; nor did the boarding agents; or anyone else in the departure process. Clearly in our haste to get the aircraft out on time; the last page of the logbook was overlooked. The situation could have been avoided if the ACARS system had notified all the parties involved immediately on entry into the system: maintenance; dispatch; ramp tower. The aircrew was the last line of defense in this situation and we should have noticed the write-ups; but we were rushed by gate changes; late arrival; adding fuel and the boarding of passenger. The entire boarding and departure process led us to believe the aircraft was ready for dispatch and had no MEL items.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A MD80'S NOSE GEAR DID NOT RETRACT AFTER TKOF. THE FLT CREW MISSED A MAINT LOGBOOK ENTRY FROM THE PREVIOUS FLT THAT HAD THE SAME ANOMALY OCCUR AND IT WAS NOT REPAIRED.

Narrative: WE ARRIVED AT ZZZ LATE; AND HAD TO CHANGE PLANES FOR THE NEXT FLT. THE DEP PROCESS WAS RUSHED; WITH FLT Y ALREADY BOARDING PAX WHEN WE ARRIVED. WE DID OUR PREFLT CHKLIST NORMALLY; BUT DID NOT NOTICE TWO LOGBOOK ITEMS LEFT OPEN ON THE LAST PAGE. AFTER DEP FROM ZZZ THE NOSE GEAR WOULD NOT RETRACT; NECESSITATING A RETURN TO ZZZ. WE DECLARED AN EMER; ACCOMPLISHED THE CHKLISTS; AND LANDED UNEVENTFULLY. WE PARKED AT THE GATE AND IMMEDIATELY NOTICED THE NOSE STRUT WAS NOW COLLAPSED (IT WAS NORMAL DURING PREFLT/TAXI-OUT). RE-EXAMINED THE LOGBOOK; THE PREVIOUS CREW HAD WRITTEN-UP THE NOSE GEAR FOR NOT RETRACTING. THE MALFUNCTION HAD BEEN TRANSMITTED THROUGH THE ACARS SYSTEM; BUT NO NOTATION WAS ON THE MEL PAGE OR ON THE FLT PLAN WHEN WE ACCEPTED THE ACFT. THE DISPATCHER HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF ANY WRITE-UPS; NOR DID THE BOARDING AGENTS; OR ANYONE ELSE IN THE DEP PROCESS. CLEARLY IN OUR HASTE TO GET THE ACFT OUT ON TIME; THE LAST PAGE OF THE LOGBOOK WAS OVERLOOKED. THE SITUATION COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF THE ACARS SYSTEM HAD NOTIFIED ALL THE PARTIES INVOLVED IMMEDIATELY ON ENTRY INTO THE SYSTEM: MAINT; DISPATCH; RAMP TOWER. THE AIRCREW WAS THE LAST LINE OF DEFENSE IN THIS SITUATION AND WE SHOULD HAVE NOTICED THE WRITE-UPS; BUT WE WERE RUSHED BY GATE CHANGES; LATE ARR; ADDING FUEL AND THE BOARDING OF PAX. THE ENTIRE BOARDING AND DEP PROCESS LED US TO BELIEVE THE ACFT WAS READY FOR DISPATCH AND HAD NO MEL ITEMS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.