Narrative:

Air carrier flight from sfo-fat had a cabin door light illuminate while climbing through 12000 ft MSL. I inspected the main cabin door and found all the alignment markers in the closed position as well as the door handle in the closed detent position. I followed the procedures in the quick reference handbook and diverted to mod. Upon landing, I opened and closed the door several times and noticed it operated normally and the cabin door light extinguished as normal each time. I telephoned air carrier dispatch and informed them of what happened, where in turn they transferred me to maintenance control. I conferred with the maintenance controller and he directed me on what should be entered in the discrepancy and correction action sections of the maintenance log. Under discrepancy I entered 'cabin door light illuminated in-flight.' under the corrective action section the maintenance controller directed me to enter 'opened and closed door all alignment indicators and handle indicate shut-light extinguished. Operations check ok,' followed by the maintenance controller's name and a&P number, the date, time and station as well as my signature and ATP number. Upon returning to fat, I wrote an irregularity report and gave it to the chief pilot. 2 days later I was informed by the chief pilot that the corrective action signoff in the logbook was not in compliance with regulations. Pilots are not able to perform inspections. The chief pilot informed me that he had made a disclosure to the FAA and also that the cabin door light should have been DME'ed before continuing to fat. All parties involved have been informed.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF AN LTT OPERATED ACFT WITH AN IMPROPER ACFT LOG RECORD SIGNOFF. PROC CONTRARY TO COMPANY PROC AND MEL PROVISIONS.

Narrative: ACR FLT FROM SFO-FAT HAD A CABIN DOOR LIGHT ILLUMINATE WHILE CLBING THROUGH 12000 FT MSL. I INSPECTED THE MAIN CABIN DOOR AND FOUND ALL THE ALIGNMENT MARKERS IN THE CLOSED POS AS WELL AS THE DOOR HANDLE IN THE CLOSED DETENT POS. I FOLLOWED THE PROCS IN THE QUICK REF HANDBOOK AND DIVERTED TO MOD. UPON LNDG, I OPENED AND CLOSED THE DOOR SEVERAL TIMES AND NOTICED IT OPERATED NORMALLY AND THE CABIN DOOR LIGHT EXTINGUISHED AS NORMAL EACH TIME. I TELEPHONED ACR DISPATCH AND INFORMED THEM OF WHAT HAPPENED, WHERE IN TURN THEY TRANSFERRED ME TO MAINT CTL. I CONFERRED WITH THE MAINT CTLR AND HE DIRECTED ME ON WHAT SHOULD BE ENTERED IN THE DISCREPANCY AND CORRECTION ACTION SECTIONS OF THE MAINT LOG. UNDER DISCREPANCY I ENTERED 'CABIN DOOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED INFLT.' UNDER THE CORRECTIVE ACTION SECTION THE MAINT CTLR DIRECTED ME TO ENTER 'OPENED AND CLOSED DOOR ALL ALIGNMENT INDICATORS AND HANDLE INDICATE SHUT-LIGHT EXTINGUISHED. OPS CHK OK,' FOLLOWED BY THE MAINT CTLR'S NAME AND A&P NUMBER, THE DATE, TIME AND STATION AS WELL AS MY SIGNATURE AND ATP NUMBER. UPON RETURNING TO FAT, I WROTE AN IRREGULARITY RPT AND GAVE IT TO THE CHIEF PLT. 2 DAYS LATER I WAS INFORMED BY THE CHIEF PLT THAT THE CORRECTIVE ACTION SIGNOFF IN THE LOGBOOK WAS NOT IN COMPLIANCE WITH REGS. PLTS ARE NOT ABLE TO PERFORM INSPECTIONS. THE CHIEF PLT INFORMED ME THAT HE HAD MADE A DISCLOSURE TO THE FAA AND ALSO THAT THE CABIN DOOR LIGHT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DME'ED BEFORE CONTINUING TO FAT. ALL PARTIES INVOLVED HAVE BEEN INFORMED.

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.