A B737-800 maintenance log restricts the aircraft to heads up guidance CAT III apches only. Flight r...

Attributes
ACN	809616
Time
Date	200810
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-800
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time type : 11000
ASRS Report	809616
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe maintenance problem : improper documentation non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company Maintenance Human Performance
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

Dispatch release said 'autoland only.' aircraft logbook showed a service check on the last yellow page. I did not look at any earlier page prior to last service check. En route to ZZZ1 we decided a CAT III may be required. We plan for an autoland. First officer notices screw in heads up guidance system only position. I check logbook and a couple pages prior to last service check is a write-up that says 30 day autoland expired; downgraded to heads up guidance system only. That matches the screw position; but conflicts with dispatch release. I ACARS'ed dispatch to confirm release is in error. Aircraft is heads up guidance system only as per write-up and screw. Dispatch reply ACARS and informs us the logbook and screw position are in error and release is correct. Landed ZZZ1 uneventfully. Maintenance met the flight to change screw position. I would have caught it had I been more alert. Maybe after a cup of coffee. Morning departures are always a challenge. Our system of checks and balances failed this time. I strive to not let it happen again.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-800 MAINT LOG RESTRICTS THE ACFT TO HEADS UP GUIDANCE CAT III APCHES ONLY. FLT RELEASE ALLOWS CAT III AUTOLAND. MAINT RESTRICTION IS IN ERROR.

Narrative: DISPATCH RELEASE SAID 'AUTOLAND ONLY.' ACFT LOGBOOK SHOWED A SVC CHK ON THE LAST YELLOW PAGE. I DID NOT LOOK AT ANY EARLIER PAGE PRIOR TO LAST SVC CHK. ENRTE TO ZZZ1 WE DECIDED A CAT III MAY BE REQUIRED. WE PLAN FOR AN AUTOLAND. FO NOTICES SCREW IN HEADS UP GUIDANCE SYS ONLY POS. I CHK LOGBOOK AND A COUPLE PAGES PRIOR TO LAST SVC CHK IS A WRITE-UP THAT SAYS 30 DAY AUTOLAND EXPIRED; DOWNGRADED TO HEADS UP GUIDANCE SYS ONLY. THAT MATCHES THE SCREW POS; BUT CONFLICTS WITH DISPATCH RELEASE. I ACARS'ED DISPATCH TO CONFIRM RELEASE IS IN ERROR. ACFT IS HEADS UP GUIDANCE SYS ONLY AS PER WRITE-UP AND SCREW. DISPATCH REPLY ACARS AND INFORMS US THE LOGBOOK AND SCREW POS ARE IN ERROR AND RELEASE IS CORRECT. LANDED ZZZ1 UNEVENTFULLY. MAINT MET THE FLT TO CHANGE SCREW POS. I WOULD HAVE CAUGHT IT HAD I BEEN MORE ALERT. MAYBE AFTER A CUP OF COFFEE. MORNING DEPS ARE ALWAYS A CHALLENGE. OUR SYS OF CHKS AND BALANCES FAILED THIS TIME. I STRIVE TO NOT LET IT HAPPEN AGAIN.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 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.

A B737-800 maintenance log restricts the aircraft to heads up guidance CAT III apches only. Flight release allows CAT III autoland. Maintenance restriction is in error.