Maintenance failed to log inspections completed. Crew returned to gate when discovered.

Attributes
ACN	444760
Time
Date	199908
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : phl.airport
State Reference	PA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : pushback
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 196 flight time total : 19001 flight time type : 2901
ASRS Report	444760
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	maintenance problem : improper documentation non adherence : published procedure non adherence : company policies
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	other
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : schedule pressure performance deficiency : logbook entry
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Maintenance Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

During pushback, I carefully checked the logbook and found that our maintenance department had not yet logged a required daily check. This was the last flight, so I had to return to the gate and have it done. Everything was taken care of, but I wish I had found this out sooner. The logbook should be checked prior to pushback. Leading up to this incident were several relevant factors: 1) I had wrote up a wingtip light in the logbook, so I didn't have unlimited access to the logbook until departure time. 2) we had just come from another plane, so we were doing the typical airplane gate swap that's common to the industry. 3) the equipment was late inbound, so we were expediting because we were late. Bottom line: never rush, even when you are late. Professionals don't hurry up to do a good job. They always work at the proper pace to do the job right the first time.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MAINT FAILED TO LOG INSPECTIONS COMPLETED. CREW RETURNED TO GATE WHEN DISCOVERED.

Narrative: DURING PUSHBACK, I CAREFULLY CHKED THE LOGBOOK AND FOUND THAT OUR MAINT DEPT HAD NOT YET LOGGED A REQUIRED DAILY CHK. THIS WAS THE LAST FLT, SO I HAD TO RETURN TO THE GATE AND HAVE IT DONE. EVERYTHING WAS TAKEN CARE OF, BUT I WISH I HAD FOUND THIS OUT SOONER. THE LOGBOOK SHOULD BE CHKED PRIOR TO PUSHBACK. LEADING UP TO THIS INCIDENT WERE SEVERAL RELEVANT FACTORS: 1) I HAD WROTE UP A WINGTIP LIGHT IN THE LOGBOOK, SO I DIDN'T HAVE UNLIMITED ACCESS TO THE LOGBOOK UNTIL DEP TIME. 2) WE HAD JUST COME FROM ANOTHER PLANE, SO WE WERE DOING THE TYPICAL AIRPLANE GATE SWAP THAT'S COMMON TO THE INDUSTRY. 3) THE EQUIP WAS LATE INBOUND, SO WE WERE EXPEDITING BECAUSE WE WERE LATE. BOTTOM LINE: NEVER RUSH, EVEN WHEN YOU ARE LATE. PROFESSIONALS DON'T HURRY UP TO DO A GOOD JOB. THEY ALWAYS WORK AT THE PROPER PACE TO DO THE JOB RIGHT THE FIRST TIME.

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.