An MD80-82 was dispatched with unauthorized maintenance release signature.

Attributes
ACN	383658
Time
Date	199708
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-82
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
ASRS Report	383658
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel other oversight : supervisor
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

On aug/xx/97, an FAA audit was conducted at air carrier ZZZ. An aircraft log page dated aug/xa/97, of aircraft ship YYY was signed by me removing landing gear pins. My signature closing this discrepancy was also complying with airworthiness release of such aircraft. My training records at air carrier ZZZ had not been up-dated showing my airworthiness release authority/authorized, subsequently resulting in a local investigation by the FAA, which implies I was not authority/authorized to release such aircraft for flight. To conclude I will also add that I had returned from a lengthy furlough from my company which may have resulted in my training records not totally updated, at time of occurrence. Since occurrence my training record has been up-dated.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD80-82 WAS DISPATCHED WITH UNAUTH MAINT RELEASE SIGNATURE.

Narrative: ON AUG/XX/97, AN FAA AUDIT WAS CONDUCTED AT ACR ZZZ. AN ACFT LOG PAGE DATED AUG/XA/97, OF ACFT SHIP YYY WAS SIGNED BY ME REMOVING LNDG GEAR PINS. MY SIGNATURE CLOSING THIS DISCREPANCY WAS ALSO COMPLYING WITH AIRWORTHINESS RELEASE OF SUCH ACFT. MY TRAINING RECORDS AT ACR ZZZ HAD NOT BEEN UP-DATED SHOWING MY AIRWORTHINESS RELEASE AUTH, SUBSEQUENTLY RESULTING IN A LCL INVESTIGATION BY THE FAA, WHICH IMPLIES I WAS NOT AUTH TO RELEASE SUCH ACFT FOR FLT. TO CONCLUDE I WILL ALSO ADD THAT I HAD RETURNED FROM A LENGTHY FURLOUGH FROM MY COMPANY WHICH MAY HAVE RESULTED IN MY TRAINING RECORDS NOT TOTALLY UPDATED, AT TIME OF OCCURRENCE. SINCE OCCURRENCE MY TRAINING RECORD HAS BEEN UP-DATED.

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.