A B747-200 INCOMPLETE MEL ITEM WAS ENDORSED AS COMPLETED PRIOR TO ITS COMPLETION.

Narrative

UPON ARRIVING AT THE ACFT; THE MECHS WERE WORKING ON A MAINT ITEM. THE MECHS DOING THE WORK SIGNED OFF (IN THE LOGBOOK) THAT THE WORK HAD BEEN COMPLETED AND LEFT THE COCKPIT AND THE ACFT DOORS WERE CLOSED IN PREPARATION FOR PUSHBACK. THIS TRIP WAS BEING OBSERVED BY AN FAA INSPECTOR WHO WAS GIVING A LINE CHK TO ME. AT ABOUT TIME FOR SCHEDULED DEP; THE MECH CALLED ON THE INTERPHONE AND INFORMED ME THAT THEY STILL HAD THINGS TO COMPLETE ON THE ITEMS THEY HAD ALREADY SIGNED OFF IN THE LOGBOOK AND IT WOULD BE ANOTHER 15 MINS BEFORE WE WOULD DEPART. THE FAA INSPECTOR THEN ASKED ME 'IF THOSE ITEMS HAD ALREADY BEEN SIGNED OFF; WHY WERE THEY STILL WORKING ON THEM.' I REQUESTED THAT THE MECHS PUT THE JET LOADER BACK UP TO THE FRONT DOOR AND COME TO THE COCKPIT. THEY THEN SAID THAT WHEN COMPLETING THEIR WORK; A PART HAD BEEN LOST INTO THE ENG AND THAT'S WHY THEY HAD MORE TO DO. THE FAA INSPECTOR SAID THE ITEMS SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN SIGNED OFF UNTIL THE WORK WAS DONE. I REQUIRED THAT THEY AGAIN SIGN OFF THE ITEM. THE FAA INSPECTOR AT THE END OF THE LINE CHK INFORMED ME A RPT OF THE INCIDENT WOULD BE WRITTEN. I HAD NO WAY OF KNOWING THAT THE WORK WAS NOT COMPLETED. I COULD NOT SEE THE #1 ENG BECAUSE OF JET LOADERS IN PLACE. THE FIRST TIME I KNEW THAT THEY HAD NOT COMPLETED THEIR WORK IS WHEN THEY CALLED ME ON THE INTERPHONE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 313029: THE #1 ENG REVERSER WAS WRITTEN UP AS BEING UNLOCKED AND UNABLE TO STOW. OUR MAINT STAFF INFORMED US THAT THE REVERSER WAS GOING TO BE LOCKED OUT; AND UNUSABLE FOR FLT. THIS MAINT ITEM WAS DEFERRED PER THE ACFT MEL. THE CAPT INSPECTED THE LOGBOOK; AND WAS SATISFIED THAT THE WORK WAS COMPLETE. AT XA58 LCL THE TUG OPERATOR ADVISED THE COCKPIT THAT THE ACFT WAS ALMOST READY FOR PUSH-BACK; EXCEPT THAT MAINT WAS STILL WORKING ON THE #1 REVERSER. THIS COMMENT CAME AS A TOTAL SURPRISE TO THE ENTIRE CREW; BECAUSE THE LOGBOOK DISCREPANCIES HAD BEEN SIGNED OFF; WE FELT THE WORK HAD BEEN COMPLETED.