A DC9-30 WAS DISPATCHED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH AN OPEN UNANSWERED LOG RPT.

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MAR/XZ/99; XA30Z; ACFT XYZ CAME IN WITH THE PLT WRITE-UP 'AUTOPLT OSCILLATES SLOWLY +500 FPM AND -500 FPM IN CRUISE. +/-100 FT MSL WORKS WELL IN ALL OTHER MODES.' I WORKED ON THIS PROB FOR 1 1/2 - 2 HRS AND WAS UNABLE TO VERIFY THE DISCREPANCY. I WAS THEN DIVERTED TO ANOTHER DISCREPANCY ON ANOTHER ACFT. I STOPPED WORKING ON XYZ AUTOPLT; BUT STILL INTENDED IN RETURNING TO CONTINUE TROUBLESHOOTING. I WAS UNABLE TO RETURN TO XYZ FOR VARIOUS REASONS. I THEN WENT TO THE MAINT SHOP WHERE THE LOGBOOK IS KEPT AND PROCEEDED TO WRITE IN THE LOGBOOK; 'ITEM REMAINS DEFERRED DUE TO LACK OF TIME;' NOT REMEMBERING THAT THE LOGBOOK ENTRY WAS A 'FIRST TIME' PLT ENTRY AND HAD NOT BEEN DEFERRED. I THEN SIGNED THE LOGBOOK. ONCE AGAIN; I WAS NOT AWARE OF MY MISTAKE. IT WAS NOT MY INTENTION TO NEGLECT THE AUTOPLT WRITE-UP. BUT THE HIGHER PRIORITY OF THE OTHER DISCREPANCY ALSO DEMANDED MY ATTN. THIS SIT MAY HAVE BEEN AVOIDED HAD I FOCUSED ON THE FIRST WRITE-UP AND SIGNED IT OFF BEFORE PROCEEDING TO THE NEXT WRITE-UP.