Narrative:

While in reserve status called in for flight mem to sea. During preflight noted in aircraft logbook that autoplt side 'a' down for CAT ii, side 'B' CAT ii up (yellow maintenance tag in front of logbook and on autoplt control panel as expected/required). Also noted that there had been a previous gripe of excitation fault on electrical system and on the landing gear doors/tailskid. All were properly signed off by maintenance. I briefed the captain on these items when he came aboard. He then reviewed the logbook as well. There were some 'do not reset circuit breaker' tags in cockpit, but all circuit breakers were already reset. APU was running and all looked as it should for flight. I asked a maintenance man outside aircraft if circuit breaker tags had been for autoplt gripe (which was now signed off). Man stated, 'aircraft ready to go' or words to that effect, and nodded 'yes.' approximately 45 to 60 mins into flight, we received an arinc call with patch from mem maintenance representative advising that aircraft had an open maintenance item, and that we were to return to mem for an aircraft swap. In reviewing all the discrepancies in the aircraft logbook a couple of times, I found a white maintenance form under hard yellow separator that had a sign-off, but obviously was not closed. Bottom line: 2 mistakes -- 1) I know to check under yellow plastic, but obviously did not this time. 2) aircraft should not have been released for flight.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MAINT CONTACTED FLT ENRTE SEA RETURN TO MEM ACCOUNT MAINT NOT COMPLETED ON ACFT.

Narrative: WHILE IN RESERVE STATUS CALLED IN FOR FLT MEM TO SEA. DURING PREFLT NOTED IN ACFT LOGBOOK THAT AUTOPLT SIDE 'A' DOWN FOR CAT II, SIDE 'B' CAT II UP (YELLOW MAINT TAG IN FRONT OF LOGBOOK AND ON AUTOPLT CTL PANEL AS EXPECTED/REQUIRED). ALSO NOTED THAT THERE HAD BEEN A PREVIOUS GRIPE OF EXCITATION FAULT ON ELECTRICAL SYS AND ON THE LNDG GEAR DOORS/TAILSKID. ALL WERE PROPERLY SIGNED OFF BY MAINT. I BRIEFED THE CAPT ON THESE ITEMS WHEN HE CAME ABOARD. HE THEN REVIEWED THE LOGBOOK AS WELL. THERE WERE SOME 'DO NOT RESET CIRCUIT BREAKER' TAGS IN COCKPIT, BUT ALL CIRCUIT BREAKERS WERE ALREADY RESET. APU WAS RUNNING AND ALL LOOKED AS IT SHOULD FOR FLT. I ASKED A MAINT MAN OUTSIDE ACFT IF CIRCUIT BREAKER TAGS HAD BEEN FOR AUTOPLT GRIPE (WHICH WAS NOW SIGNED OFF). MAN STATED, 'ACFT READY TO GO' OR WORDS TO THAT EFFECT, AND NODDED 'YES.' APPROX 45 TO 60 MINS INTO FLT, WE RECEIVED AN ARINC CALL WITH PATCH FROM MEM MAINT REPRESENTATIVE ADVISING THAT ACFT HAD AN OPEN MAINT ITEM, AND THAT WE WERE TO RETURN TO MEM FOR AN ACFT SWAP. IN REVIEWING ALL THE DISCREPANCIES IN THE ACFT LOGBOOK A COUPLE OF TIMES, I FOUND A WHITE MAINT FORM UNDER HARD YELLOW SEPARATOR THAT HAD A SIGN-OFF, BUT OBVIOUSLY WAS NOT CLOSED. BOTTOM LINE: 2 MISTAKES -- 1) I KNOW TO CHK UNDER YELLOW PLASTIC, BUT OBVIOUSLY DID NOT THIS TIME. 2) ACFT SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN RELEASED FOR FLT.

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.