Narrative:

While at the gate getting ready for the first flight of the day at our overnight station, the flight attendant informed me that a section of the emergency floor lighting was out by row 8, seats C&D (exit row). Immersed in my cockpit flows and then checking the WX and programming the FMS, I forgot about the lighting until 1/2 way through the leg. Once we landed, I wrote the discrepancy in the maintenance log and left the aircraft. Thinking about this on the drive home, I realized I should have gotten up to check it out once she mentioned the problem, as this would force me to deal with it then, not later. I could have my first officer handle a task or 2 in the cockpit during my absence or just delayed those duties until I got back to my seat. My tunnel vision, get goingitis and only 50 hours in the airplane caused me to overlook and ignore a potential serious discrepancy. Take your time, listen to and use your other crew members to help you get the aircraft ready for departure, but do not go until everything has been checked, deferred, signed off, and your other crew members agree we are ready to go, because ultimately the responsibility falls in your lap.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR CAPT WITH LESS THAN 100 HRS IN THE ACFT REALIZES THAT HE NEEDS HELP TO RUN HIS OP AND MUST HAVE AN OVERALL VIEW OF THE SIT AFTER HE THINKS BACK ON A FLT HE OPERATED WITH INOP EQUIP RPTED TO HIM BEFORE DEP.

Narrative: WHILE AT THE GATE GETTING READY FOR THE FIRST FLT OF THE DAY AT OUR OVERNIGHT STATION, THE FLT ATTENDANT INFORMED ME THAT A SECTION OF THE EMER FLOOR LIGHTING WAS OUT BY ROW 8, SEATS C&D (EXIT ROW). IMMERSED IN MY COCKPIT FLOWS AND THEN CHKING THE WX AND PROGRAMMING THE FMS, I FORGOT ABOUT THE LIGHTING UNTIL 1/2 WAY THROUGH THE LEG. ONCE WE LANDED, I WROTE THE DISCREPANCY IN THE MAINT LOG AND LEFT THE ACFT. THINKING ABOUT THIS ON THE DRIVE HOME, I REALIZED I SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN UP TO CHK IT OUT ONCE SHE MENTIONED THE PROB, AS THIS WOULD FORCE ME TO DEAL WITH IT THEN, NOT LATER. I COULD HAVE MY FO HANDLE A TASK OR 2 IN THE COCKPIT DURING MY ABSENCE OR JUST DELAYED THOSE DUTIES UNTIL I GOT BACK TO MY SEAT. MY TUNNEL VISION, GET GOINGITIS AND ONLY 50 HRS IN THE AIRPLANE CAUSED ME TO OVERLOOK AND IGNORE A POTENTIAL SERIOUS DISCREPANCY. TAKE YOUR TIME, LISTEN TO AND USE YOUR OTHER CREW MEMBERS TO HELP YOU GET THE ACFT READY FOR DEP, BUT DO NOT GO UNTIL EVERYTHING HAS BEEN CHKED, DEFERRED, SIGNED OFF, AND YOUR OTHER CREW MEMBERS AGREE WE ARE READY TO GO, BECAUSE ULTIMATELY THE RESPONSIBILITY FALLS IN YOUR LAP.

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.