Narrative:

We had taxied out about 1 1/2 hours late during a snowstorm. When we were cleared for takeoff I taxied into position and an oil light came on for the left engine. We informed tower and were instructed to taxi to the intersection and contact ground. We taxied to the gate and I shut down #1 and left #2 running until power was on (gpu). The mechanics had the cowl open and had informed me that they had left the oil cap off and as soon as they got the engine filled back up we would be on our way. The incident was not put in the maintenance log because I felt that, 1) nothing was broken, and 2) nothing was fixed. The times entered into the aircraft log reflected only the second departure from the gate due to a misunderstanding of what should be entered on the flight log and what should be entered on the payroll form. I believe that our principle operations inspector (poi) thinks that I intentionally covered up the incident, which I have not. I made a mistake on the flight log due to being tired and rushed, and I made a judgement call that is being questioned. I thought about my decision on the way home today and concluded that anytime you alter your plan of flight due to any indication of equipment malfunction it is best to write up the incident whether it seems appropriate or not. And when you are tired and late, take some time out to make sure you are not skipping something important.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATR42 MECH FAILED TO SECURE OIL FILLER CAP CAUSING LOSS OF OIL AND LOW OIL PRESSURE ON TKOF. TKOF ABORTED. RETURNED TO GATE FOR SVC. THIS GATE DEP AND RETURN WAS NOT NOTED IN THE LOGBOOK NOR WAS THE NEED FOR SVC AND THE ABORTED TKOF.

Narrative: WE HAD TAXIED OUT ABOUT 1 1/2 HRS LATE DURING A SNOWSTORM. WHEN WE WERE CLRED FOR TKOF I TAXIED INTO POS AND AN OIL LIGHT CAME ON FOR THE L ENG. WE INFORMED TWR AND WERE INSTRUCTED TO TAXI TO THE INTXN AND CONTACT GND. WE TAXIED TO THE GATE AND I SHUT DOWN #1 AND LEFT #2 RUNNING UNTIL PWR WAS ON (GPU). THE MECHS HAD THE COWL OPEN AND HAD INFORMED ME THAT THEY HAD LEFT THE OIL CAP OFF AND AS SOON AS THEY GOT THE ENG FILLED BACK UP WE WOULD BE ON OUR WAY. THE INCIDENT WAS NOT PUT IN THE MAINT LOG BECAUSE I FELT THAT, 1) NOTHING WAS BROKEN, AND 2) NOTHING WAS FIXED. THE TIMES ENTERED INTO THE ACFT LOG REFLECTED ONLY THE SECOND DEP FROM THE GATE DUE TO A MISUNDERSTANDING OF WHAT SHOULD BE ENTERED ON THE FLT LOG AND WHAT SHOULD BE ENTERED ON THE PAYROLL FORM. I BELIEVE THAT OUR PRINCIPLE OPS INSPECTOR (POI) THINKS THAT I INTENTIONALLY COVERED UP THE INCIDENT, WHICH I HAVE NOT. I MADE A MISTAKE ON THE FLT LOG DUE TO BEING TIRED AND RUSHED, AND I MADE A JUDGEMENT CALL THAT IS BEING QUESTIONED. I THOUGHT ABOUT MY DECISION ON THE WAY HOME TODAY AND CONCLUDED THAT ANYTIME YOU ALTER YOUR PLAN OF FLT DUE TO ANY INDICATION OF EQUIP MALFUNCTION IT IS BEST TO WRITE UP THE INCIDENT WHETHER IT SEEMS APPROPRIATE OR NOT. AND WHEN YOU ARE TIRED AND LATE, TAKE SOME TIME OUT TO MAKE SURE YOU ARE NOT SKIPPING SOMETHING IMPORTANT.

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.