Md-82 crew found an improper sign-off in the aircraft maintenance log. They informed the air carrier...

Attributes
ACN	585170
Time
Date	200306
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-82
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	585170
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine
ASRS Report	585173
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe maintenance problem : improper documentation maintenance problem : improper maintenance non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure non adherence : company policies other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact other
Consequence	other other
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : schedule pressure performance deficiency : inspection performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements performance deficiency : testing performance deficiency : repair performance deficiency : logbook entry
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company Maintenance Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

Showing up on jun/wed/O3 and going through the logbook as we are receiving the aircraft for the first flight of the day, we noticed that there was a write up the previous day that read in the discrepancy remarks: 'found small pool of hydraulic fluid behind nose gear.' the corrective action remarks read: 'inspected nose area. No leaks noted. Suspect possible nose steering actuator leak. Ok for flight.' noticing there was not any further corrective action taken for the 'suspected nose steering actuator leak' we called maintenance control. Having talked with technician he said 'what, that's the write up or sign off?' when I informed him that was the sign off, he said 'that's wrong.' he put me on hold to talk to someone else and when he came back to me he said 'we'll have to call maintenance out to take care of it.' contract maintenance came out to inspect the airplane and found a leak around the nose landing gear metering valve. The write-up by contract maintenance reads in the discrepancy remarks: '... Evidence of a hydraulic leak. Nose gear steering actuator.' the corrective action reads: 'found leak at nose landing gear metering valve. Secure loose fitting. No further leaks noted. Operations check normal.' I am filing this report as I feel there was mechanical report by a pilot, with a signoff by a mechanic 'no leaks noted,' but making reference to a 'suspected possible nose steering actuator leak.' no corrective action was taken toward the suspected problem with flts being made after the original logbook entry and prior to our flight number.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD-82 CREW FOUND AN IMPROPER SIGN-OFF IN THE ACFT MAINT LOG. THEY INFORMED THE ACR MAINT CTLR WHO SCHEDULED CONTRACT MAINT TO REINSPECT THE ACFT.

Narrative: SHOWING UP ON JUN/WED/O3 AND GOING THROUGH THE LOGBOOK AS WE ARE RECEIVING THE ACFT FOR THE FIRST FLT OF THE DAY, WE NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A WRITE UP THE PREVIOUS DAY THAT READ IN THE DISCREPANCY REMARKS: 'FOUND SMALL POOL OF HYD FLUID BEHIND NOSE GEAR.' THE CORRECTIVE ACTION REMARKS READ: 'INSPECTED NOSE AREA. NO LEAKS NOTED. SUSPECT POSSIBLE NOSE STEERING ACTUATOR LEAK. OK FOR FLT.' NOTICING THERE WAS NOT ANY FURTHER CORRECTIVE ACTION TAKEN FOR THE 'SUSPECTED NOSE STEERING ACTUATOR LEAK' WE CALLED MAINT CTL. HAVING TALKED WITH TECHNICIAN HE SAID 'WHAT, THAT'S THE WRITE UP OR SIGN OFF?' WHEN I INFORMED HIM THAT WAS THE SIGN OFF, HE SAID 'THAT'S WRONG.' HE PUT ME ON HOLD TO TALK TO SOMEONE ELSE AND WHEN HE CAME BACK TO ME HE SAID 'WE'LL HAVE TO CALL MAINT OUT TO TAKE CARE OF IT.' CONTRACT MAINT CAME OUT TO INSPECT THE AIRPLANE AND FOUND A LEAK AROUND THE NOSE LNDG GEAR METERING VALVE. THE WRITE-UP BY CONTRACT MAINT READS IN THE DISCREPANCY REMARKS: '... EVIDENCE OF A HYD LEAK. NOSE GEAR STEERING ACTUATOR.' THE CORRECTIVE ACTION READS: 'FOUND LEAK AT NOSE LNDG GEAR METERING VALVE. SECURE LOOSE FITTING. NO FURTHER LEAKS NOTED. OPS CHK NORMAL.' I AM FILING THIS RPT AS I FEEL THERE WAS MECHANICAL RPT BY A PLT, WITH A SIGNOFF BY A MECH 'NO LEAKS NOTED,' BUT MAKING REF TO A 'SUSPECTED POSSIBLE NOSE STEERING ACTUATOR LEAK.' NO CORRECTIVE ACTION WAS TAKEN TOWARD THE SUSPECTED PROB WITH FLTS BEING MADE AFTER THE ORIGINAL LOGBOOK ENTRY AND PRIOR TO OUR FLT NUMBER.

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.

Md-82 crew found an improper sign-off in the aircraft maintenance log. They informed the air carrier maintenance controller who scheduled contract maintenance to reinspect the aircraft.