Narrative:

During preflight, on the ground at dfw, I checked our logbook for open and/or deferred items, to find that a logbook discrepancy entry was deferred by another crew a few days before. There was writing in the lower portion ('gray area') that is reserved for our mechanics only -- which tells me that they were aware of it and it was not open. 'Not so!' I realized later that the 'writing' I had seen was the other pilot deferral and not the mechanic's signoff. I have learned that some of our new pilots, that never had the opportunity to be flight engineer's, don't know where and how to make a correct deferral in the logbook. At a glance, this entry in the wrong location misled me -- lesson learned!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF MLG HAS WRONG ENTRY IN MAINT LOGBOOK AND BELIEVES AN MEL ITEM WAS NOT OPEN DUE TO INCORRECT ENTRY THAT WAS NOT SO.

Narrative: DURING PREFLT, ON THE GND AT DFW, I CHKED OUR LOGBOOK FOR OPEN AND/OR DEFERRED ITEMS, TO FIND THAT A LOGBOOK DISCREPANCY ENTRY WAS DEFERRED BY ANOTHER CREW A FEW DAYS BEFORE. THERE WAS WRITING IN THE LOWER PORTION ('GRAY AREA') THAT IS RESERVED FOR OUR MECHS ONLY -- WHICH TELLS ME THAT THEY WERE AWARE OF IT AND IT WAS NOT OPEN. 'NOT SO!' I REALIZED LATER THAT THE 'WRITING' I HAD SEEN WAS THE OTHER PLT DEFERRAL AND NOT THE MECH'S SIGNOFF. I HAVE LEARNED THAT SOME OF OUR NEW PLTS, THAT NEVER HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE FE'S, DON'T KNOW WHERE AND HOW TO MAKE A CORRECT DEFERRAL IN THE LOGBOOK. AT A GLANCE, THIS ENTRY IN THE WRONG LOCATION MISLED ME -- LESSON LEARNED!

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.