An air carrier crew flew an aircraft with an improperly signed-off logbook.

Attributes
ACN	264489
Time
Date	199402
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dtw
State Reference	MI
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : ord
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 230 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 10000
ASRS Report	264489
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

During preflight checks, I reviewed the aircraft logbook noting that the last entry had been signed off by maintenance. I failed to note that the item involved was a flight control and the signoff was actually only a deferral. The write-up was 'aircraft aileron trim froze in flight.' I accepted this aircraft for flight and flew from dtw to day. The aileron trim worked ok. However, on the next leg. Day-msp, the trim knob could not be turned in cruise. During descent it returned to normal. Upon further review of the logbook, I noted a previous write-up, essentially the same problem. After landing in msp, I made an entry in the logbook describing the problem and specifically suggested that the aircraft be grounded until repaired. Although this problem did not affect the flight in any serious way, I will certainly review the logbook much more carefully during my preflight check.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR CREW FLEW AN ACFT WITH AN IMPROPERLY SIGNED-OFF LOGBOOK.

Narrative: DURING PREFLT CHKS, I REVIEWED THE ACFT LOGBOOK NOTING THAT THE LAST ENTRY HAD BEEN SIGNED OFF BY MAINT. I FAILED TO NOTE THAT THE ITEM INVOLVED WAS A FLT CTL AND THE SIGNOFF WAS ACTUALLY ONLY A DEFERRAL. THE WRITE-UP WAS 'ACFT AILERON TRIM FROZE IN FLT.' I ACCEPTED THIS ACFT FOR FLT AND FLEW FROM DTW TO DAY. THE AILERON TRIM WORKED OK. HOWEVER, ON THE NEXT LEG. DAY-MSP, THE TRIM KNOB COULD NOT BE TURNED IN CRUISE. DURING DSCNT IT RETURNED TO NORMAL. UPON FURTHER REVIEW OF THE LOGBOOK, I NOTED A PREVIOUS WRITE-UP, ESSENTIALLY THE SAME PROB. AFTER LNDG IN MSP, I MADE AN ENTRY IN THE LOGBOOK DESCRIBING THE PROB AND SPECIFICALLY SUGGESTED THAT THE ACFT BE GNDED UNTIL REPAIRED. ALTHOUGH THIS PROB DID NOT AFFECT THE FLT IN ANY SERIOUS WAY, I WILL CERTAINLY REVIEW THE LOGBOOK MUCH MORE CAREFULLY DURING MY PREFLT CHK.

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.