Captain of an light transport failed to record in the aircraft log a maintenance discrepancy.

Attributes
ACN	322680
Time
Date	199512
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : phl
State Reference	PA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Beech 1900
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 4200 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	322680
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

En route from hun to phl a problem developed with a propeller governor on the left engine. As requested, maintenance met us at the gate. We described the problem, not being completely sure of the cause, only what had occurred. Consequently we did not make an entry in the maintenance log. We then left the airplane, went to operations and began the process of calling dispatch, scheduling, etc. Upon returning to the plane the FAA greeted us to ask why the aircraft was being repaired without an entry in the logbook. The inspectors were not pleased since we had not followed procedures (making an entry in the logbook first). After the inspectors explained the importance of entering a discrepancy first and we admitted our oversight, all was well. After having complimented ourselves on perfectly following company procedures, possibly preventing a propeller overspd we completely abandoned maintenance procedures. Although not a concern of safety, we discovered it could have been a great way to receive a violation. In conclusion, follow procedures on paperwork as well as flying, regardless of what happened during the flight.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF AN LTT FAILED TO RECORD IN THE ACFT LOG A MAINT DISCREPANCY.

Narrative: ENRTE FROM HUN TO PHL A PROB DEVELOPED WITH A PROP GOVERNOR ON THE L ENG. AS REQUESTED, MAINT MET US AT THE GATE. WE DESCRIBED THE PROB, NOT BEING COMPLETELY SURE OF THE CAUSE, ONLY WHAT HAD OCCURRED. CONSEQUENTLY WE DID NOT MAKE AN ENTRY IN THE MAINT LOG. WE THEN LEFT THE AIRPLANE, WENT TO OPS AND BEGAN THE PROCESS OF CALLING DISPATCH, SCHEDULING, ETC. UPON RETURNING TO THE PLANE THE FAA GREETED US TO ASK WHY THE ACFT WAS BEING REPAIRED WITHOUT AN ENTRY IN THE LOGBOOK. THE INSPECTORS WERE NOT PLEASED SINCE WE HAD NOT FOLLOWED PROCS (MAKING AN ENTRY IN THE LOGBOOK FIRST). AFTER THE INSPECTORS EXPLAINED THE IMPORTANCE OF ENTERING A DISCREPANCY FIRST AND WE ADMITTED OUR OVERSIGHT, ALL WAS WELL. AFTER HAVING COMPLIMENTED OURSELVES ON PERFECTLY FOLLOWING COMPANY PROCS, POSSIBLY PREVENTING A PROP OVERSPD WE COMPLETELY ABANDONED MAINT PROCS. ALTHOUGH NOT A CONCERN OF SAFETY, WE DISCOVERED IT COULD HAVE BEEN A GREAT WAY TO RECEIVE A VIOLATION. IN CONCLUSION, FOLLOW PROCS ON PAPERWORK AS WELL AS FLYING, REGARDLESS OF WHAT HAPPENED DURING THE 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.