Narrative:

A combination of events led to rushed departure procedures and flight was airborne before first officer noted the aircraft logbook was not on board. The crew arrived with adequate time for preflight activities. I was returning from 30 days vacation so events were not as smooth as normal. I had several manual revisions to review at the flight office prior to proceeding to flight planning at another location. (Delay #1) I left a personal item in the flight office and had to return for it. Finishing flight planning, we proceeded to aircraft to find boarding in progress and jetway congested, this results in a second delay (#2). Normally I proceed to the cockpit, stow bags, review log and then go to cabin to brief flight attendants. As I came aboard aircraft a flight attendant advised she had a mechanical problem with a galley item. I stowed my bags and went to the jetway phone to call maintenance but could not find a phone number at the phone, (delay #3). The first officer returned from the exterior walk around, being new on the airplane had requested I monitor activities a little closer. The first officer had only 1 month experience on this aircraft and previous experience was on 3- man crew where flight engineer took care of log. So logbook was not thought of. The first officer was engrossed in programming FMC and ACARS, I was supervising, assisting and training as needed (delay #4). With only a few min left to departure, we still had to run checklists, and brief the takeoff. At this time 2 omc's arrived and they had to be checked and briefed and at same time flight attendant discovered she was missing videos (delay #5). Shortly after the passenger agent asked if we were ready. Normally they ask if we have all our papers and logbook. In the haste I failed to notice. About the same time the mechanic on ground advised he was ready for push. The log never came to mind. Although not a safety of flight occurrence, it could have been. The aircraft maintenance history and logbook write-ups were provided with the flight planning paperwork and had been reviewed. I have never been asked to rush a departure if not ready but we are all aware of the consequences of delays, such as customer satisfaction, downline connections missed, downline flts delayed airline on time rankings, etc. If not sure or feeling rushed in the future, I will accept the delay. Perhaps logbook would be appropriate on the checklist.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LOGBOOK NOT ON BOARD ACFT FOR FLT.

Narrative: A COMBINATION OF EVENTS LED TO RUSHED DEP PROCS AND FLT WAS AIRBORNE BEFORE FO NOTED THE ACFT LOGBOOK WAS NOT ON BOARD. THE CREW ARRIVED WITH ADEQUATE TIME FOR PREFLT ACTIVITIES. I WAS RETURNING FROM 30 DAYS VACATION SO EVENTS WERE NOT AS SMOOTH AS NORMAL. I HAD SEVERAL MANUAL REVISIONS TO REVIEW AT THE FLT OFFICE PRIOR TO PROCEEDING TO FLT PLANNING AT ANOTHER LOCATION. (DELAY #1) I LEFT A PERSONAL ITEM IN THE FLT OFFICE AND HAD TO RETURN FOR IT. FINISHING FLT PLANNING, WE PROCEEDED TO ACFT TO FIND BOARDING IN PROGRESS AND JETWAY CONGESTED, THIS RESULTS IN A SECOND DELAY (#2). NORMALLY I PROCEED TO THE COCKPIT, STOW BAGS, REVIEW LOG AND THEN GO TO CABIN TO BRIEF FLT ATTENDANTS. AS I CAME ABOARD ACFT A FLT ATTENDANT ADVISED SHE HAD A MECHANICAL PROB WITH A GALLEY ITEM. I STOWED MY BAGS AND WENT TO THE JETWAY PHONE TO CALL MAINT BUT COULD NOT FIND A PHONE NUMBER AT THE PHONE, (DELAY #3). THE FO RETURNED FROM THE EXTERIOR WALK AROUND, BEING NEW ON THE AIRPLANE HAD REQUESTED I MONITOR ACTIVITIES A LITTLE CLOSER. THE FO HAD ONLY 1 MONTH EXPERIENCE ON THIS ACFT AND PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE WAS ON 3- MAN CREW WHERE FE TOOK CARE OF LOG. SO LOGBOOK WAS NOT THOUGHT OF. THE FO WAS ENGROSSED IN PROGRAMMING FMC AND ACARS, I WAS SUPERVISING, ASSISTING AND TRAINING AS NEEDED (DELAY #4). WITH ONLY A FEW MIN LEFT TO DEP, WE STILL HAD TO RUN CHKLISTS, AND BRIEF THE TKOF. AT THIS TIME 2 OMC'S ARRIVED AND THEY HAD TO BE CHKED AND BRIEFED AND AT SAME TIME FLT ATTENDANT DISCOVERED SHE WAS MISSING VIDEOS (DELAY #5). SHORTLY AFTER THE PAX AGENT ASKED IF WE WERE READY. NORMALLY THEY ASK IF WE HAVE ALL OUR PAPERS AND LOGBOOK. IN THE HASTE I FAILED TO NOTICE. ABOUT THE SAME TIME THE MECH ON GND ADVISED HE WAS READY FOR PUSH. THE LOG NEVER CAME TO MIND. ALTHOUGH NOT A SAFETY OF FLT OCCURRENCE, IT COULD HAVE BEEN. THE ACFT MAINT HISTORY AND LOGBOOK WRITE-UPS WERE PROVIDED WITH THE FLT PLANNING PAPERWORK AND HAD BEEN REVIEWED. I HAVE NEVER BEEN ASKED TO RUSH A DEP IF NOT READY BUT WE ARE ALL AWARE OF THE CONSEQUENCES OF DELAYS, SUCH AS CUSTOMER SATISFACTION, DOWNLINE CONNECTIONS MISSED, DOWNLINE FLTS DELAYED AIRLINE ON TIME RANKINGS, ETC. IF NOT SURE OR FEELING RUSHED IN THE FUTURE, I WILL ACCEPT THE DELAY. PERHAPS LOGBOOK WOULD BE APPROPRIATE ON THE CHKLIST.

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.