AN MD80 WAS DISPATCHED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH NOSE GEAR STEERING CABLE REPLACEMENT NOT INSPECTED PER MAINT MANUAL REQUIRED INSPECTION ITEMS.

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ON FEB/XA/99; I WAS ASSIGNED ACFT XYZ TO ASSIST IF NEEDED ON A LOGBOOK WRITE-UP FOR NOSE STEERING PROBS. I WAS JUST COMING OFF MY WKEND; SO I HAD NO IDEA WHAT HAD BEEN DONE; OR WHO WORKED ON THIS ACFT. ACR HAD SENT IN ZYX HVY MAINT MECH TO COMPLETE THIS TASK. ZYX MECH COMPLETED THE JOB OF RIGGING THE STEERING CABLES. I HAD NO PART IN ANY WAY WITH REPAIRING OF THE NOSEWHEEL STEERING. ABOUT XB:00 AM ZYX MECH COMPLETED THE JOB AND SIGNED OFF ALL PAPERWORK INVOLVING NOSEWHEEL STEERING. I COMPLETED THE OVERNIGHT CHK AND WENT IN TO COMPLETE MY PAPERWORK. I LOOKED OVER THE LOGBOOK WHICH ALL ACTIONS WERE COMPLIED WITH; AND SIGNED OFF. ALL JOB CARD TURNOVERS COMPLETED. I SIGNED OFF THE OVERNIGHT IN THE LOGBOOK AND SIGNED THE AIRWORTHINESS OFF. THAT FOLLOWING NIGHT AT AB00 FEB/XB/99; ACR MGMNT APCHED ME ABOUT XYZ. THEY ASKED IF I SIGNED THE AIRWORTHINESS; YES I DID. THEY EXPLAINED THE REQUIRED INSPECTION ITEM WAS NEVER ENTERED IN THE LOGBOOK. I INFORMED ACR I WAS NOT INVOLVED IN THIS TASK. BUT BY SIGNING OFF THE AIRWORTHINESS BY MY ERROR; I TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE REQUIRED INSPECTION ITEM NOT BEING COMPLIED WITH. THIS ACFT WAS IN ZZZ FOR 3 DAYS AND 12 SHIFTS WORKED ON IT TO MY UNDERSTANDING. THE PERSON DOING THIS JOB TASK SHOULD HAVE INITIATED A REQUIRED INSPECTION ITEM IN THE LOGBOOK. BY ERROR I WAS DOING MY JOB MAKING SURE ALL PAPERWORK WAS SIGNED AND COMPLETED AND IT WAS SO I MADE THE LAST ENTRY IN THE LOGBOOK AND SIGNED OFF THE AIRWORTHINESS.