DC9-32 MECH DID NOT SIGN THE ACFT AIRWORTHINESS RELEASE BEFORE FLT. IT WAS FOUND BY AN FAA MAINT INSPECTOR.

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MY FAILURE TO SIGN OFF AN AIRWORTHINESS RELEASE ON ACFT X AFTER AN INSPECTION HAD BEEN COMPLETED THAT NIGHT PER MAINT MANUAL PROCS. I WAS ENDING MY SHIFT; AND MORE WORK NEEDED TO BE COMPLIED WITH. UPON RETURNING THE FOLLOWING NIGHT; I SAW THE WORK WAS DONE AND PULLED THE LOG PAGES FROM THE LOGBOOK; BUT DIDN'T SIGN OFF THE AIRWORTHINESS RELEASE. I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT AIRWORTHINESS RELEASE WAS NEEDED; SINCE I HADN'T DEALT WITH THIS LEVEL OF MAINT BEFORE; HAVING BEEN ASSIGNED TO THIS SCHEDULE AND TYPE OF MAINT FOR ONLY 2 WKS. PRIOR TO THIS ASSIGNMENT; I HAD SPENT 17 YRS ON THE FLT LINE DOING LINE MAINT FOR WHICH I HAD BECOME THOROUGHLY FAMILIAR WITH THE REQUIRED PAPERWORK. HANGAR MAINT LEVEL MAINT WAS NEW TO ME. THE PROB WAS FOUND ON AN FAA ROUTINE RECORDS INSPECTION. I HAVE SINCE BEEN COUNSELED ON THE PROVISIONS OF THE GENERAL MAINT MANUAL REGARDING THE AIRWORTHINESS RELEASE SIGNOFF. A RECORDS REVIEW HAS BEEN COMPLETED; AND NO OTHER OCCURRENCES HAVE BEEN FOUND. I AM NOW WELL AWARE OF WHEN AN AIRWORTHINESS RELEASE SIGNOFF IS REQUIRED.