A B737-700 was dispatched in non compliance with the aircraft logbook maintenance release not signed...

Attributes
ACN	487646
Time
Date	200009
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-700
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : parked ground : maintenance
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 20000 flight time type : 10000
ASRS Report	487646
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe maintenance problem : improper documentation non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Factors
Maintenance	performance deficiency : logbook entry performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Company Maintenance Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

I picked up aircraft xyz, a B737-700 at ZZZ on an originating flight. Inspection and review of the logbook showed a write-up of a discrepancy which was duly corrected and signed off by our maintenance. The discrepancy was related to pitch trim and the corrective action was, replacing a trim actuator. Today, oct/sat/00, I received a call from one of our pilots who picked up the aircraft from me in ZZZ, informing me that the maintenance department informed him that following the particular trim repair work they had done, the aircraft needed a new 'airworthiness release' which they forgot to enter in the logbook. Consequently I flew an aircraft which was missing required 'airworthiness release' and possibly violated far's unknowingly.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-700 WAS DISPATCHED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH THE ACFT LOGBOOK MAINT RELEASE NOT SIGNED.

Narrative: I PICKED UP ACFT XYZ, A B737-700 AT ZZZ ON AN ORIGINATING FLT. INSPECTION AND REVIEW OF THE LOGBOOK SHOWED A WRITE-UP OF A DISCREPANCY WHICH WAS DULY CORRECTED AND SIGNED OFF BY OUR MAINT. THE DISCREPANCY WAS RELATED TO PITCH TRIM AND THE CORRECTIVE ACTION WAS, REPLACING A TRIM ACTUATOR. TODAY, OCT/SAT/00, I RECEIVED A CALL FROM ONE OF OUR PLTS WHO PICKED UP THE ACFT FROM ME IN ZZZ, INFORMING ME THAT THE MAINT DEPT INFORMED HIM THAT FOLLOWING THE PARTICULAR TRIM REPAIR WORK THEY HAD DONE, THE ACFT NEEDED A NEW 'AIRWORTHINESS RELEASE' WHICH THEY FORGOT TO ENTER IN THE LOGBOOK. CONSEQUENTLY I FLEW AN ACFT WHICH WAS MISSING REQUIRED 'AIRWORTHINESS RELEASE' AND POSSIBLY VIOLATED FAR'S UNKNOWINGLY.

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.