A B757 flight crew gets distraction and forgets to verify if the MEL write up was signed off.

Attributes
ACN	526300
Time
Date	200110
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bos.airport
State Reference	MA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : lax.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757-200
Flight Phase	ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	526300
Events
Anomaly	maintenance problem : improper documentation non adherence : company policies non adherence : far
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

This flight inadvertently departed with an open write-up in the log. The aircraft arrived late in bos. I reviewed the logbook and saw a cabin write-up and the ACARS receipt from an arms transmittal. I then got involved in the security briefings and failed to confirm the sign off prior to departure. The write-up referenced an audio problem in the seat stereo system and in no way affected the safety of flight.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B757 FLT CREW GETS DISTR AND FORGETS TO VERIFY IF THE MEL WRITE UP WAS SIGNED OFF.

Narrative: THIS FLT INADVERTENTLY DEPARTED WITH AN OPEN WRITE-UP IN THE LOG. THE ACFT ARRIVED LATE IN BOS. I REVIEWED THE LOGBOOK AND SAW A CABIN WRITE-UP AND THE ACARS RECEIPT FROM AN ARMS TRANSMITTAL. I THEN GOT INVOLVED IN THE SECURITY BRIEFINGS AND FAILED TO CONFIRM THE SIGN OFF PRIOR TO DEP. THE WRITE-UP REFERENCED AN AUDIO PROB IN THE SEAT STEREO SYS AND IN NO WAY AFFECTED THE SAFETY OF FLT.

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.