An MD80 flight crew detected, after departure, that they took off with an open maintenance write-up.

Attributes
ACN	523800
Time
Date	200109
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sjc.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : d10.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument
ASRS Report	523800
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe maintenance problem : non compliance with mel non adherence : published procedure non adherence : company policies non adherence : far
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Maintenance Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Upon meeting the aircraft, I saw the captain talking with the aircraft cleaners about an open item in the logbook having to do with a cleanup item in the main cabin. While the captain discussed this with the cleaners, I started to get the cockpit ready for departure. At that time, the gate agent was insisting to start to board. I then got up to use the forward lavatory so as not to delay the flight and noticed nothing unusual. The captain finally got the cabin cleaned to his satisfaction and we were on our way. In the confusion, the captain and I did not notice that the forward lavatory (that I had used earlier) was also written up for a missing flapper valve. Once airborne at cruise, we discovered our oversight. Upon reflection of this event, I have concluded that a doublechk of the logbook during the 'before start engines' checklist could have prevented this mistake. I will always doublechk the logbook from now on.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD80 FLT CREW DETECTED, AFTER DEP, THAT THEY TOOK OFF WITH AN OPEN MAINT WRITE-UP.

Narrative: UPON MEETING THE ACFT, I SAW THE CAPT TALKING WITH THE ACFT CLEANERS ABOUT AN OPEN ITEM IN THE LOGBOOK HAVING TO DO WITH A CLEANUP ITEM IN THE MAIN CABIN. WHILE THE CAPT DISCUSSED THIS WITH THE CLEANERS, I STARTED TO GET THE COCKPIT READY FOR DEP. AT THAT TIME, THE GATE AGENT WAS INSISTING TO START TO BOARD. I THEN GOT UP TO USE THE FORWARD LAVATORY SO AS NOT TO DELAY THE FLT AND NOTICED NOTHING UNUSUAL. THE CAPT FINALLY GOT THE CABIN CLEANED TO HIS SATISFACTION AND WE WERE ON OUR WAY. IN THE CONFUSION, THE CAPT AND I DID NOT NOTICE THAT THE FORWARD LAVATORY (THAT I HAD USED EARLIER) WAS ALSO WRITTEN UP FOR A MISSING FLAPPER VALVE. ONCE AIRBORNE AT CRUISE, WE DISCOVERED OUR OVERSIGHT. UPON REFLECTION OF THIS EVENT, I HAVE CONCLUDED THAT A DOUBLECHK OF THE LOGBOOK DURING THE 'BEFORE START ENGS' CHKLIST COULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS MISTAKE. I WILL ALWAYS DOUBLECHK THE LOGBOOK FROM NOW ON.

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.