A320 CAPT MADE AN ERROR IN A MAINT LOGBOOK ENTRY WHEN THE MAINT CTLR TOLD HIM TO SIGN OFF THE CORRECTIVE ACTION BLOCK OF THE MAINT LOG.

Narrative

ON THIS FLT I MADE A PAPERWORK MISTAKE. EVERYTHING WAS DONE CORRECTLY EXCEPT THE PAPERWORK. WE HAD AN MEL FOR OUR FUEL SYS XFER VALVES. THIS MEL HAS TASKS THAT CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED BY EITHER A MECH OR A PLT. I DID NOT HAVE A PROB DOING THE PROC AND ACCOMPLISHED THE REQUIRED TASKS TO COMPLY WITH THE MEL INCLUDING MAKING A FLT CREW NOTIFICATION. THE MEL STATES ON ITEM #3: MAKE A LOGBOOK ENTRY 'MEL 28-15-01 (AA) C/W.' I CALLED MAINT CTL AND WANTED TO CONFIRM WHETHER OR NOT THIS HAD TO BE DONE SINCE I HAD MADE THE FLT CREW NOTIFICATIONS. I TOLD THE MAINT CTLR I WAS THE CAPT; AND JUST WANTED TO CONFIRM WHAT MAINT CTL WANTED. THE MAINT CTLR STATED THAT YES THIS ENTRY HAS TO BE MADE. I THEN TOLD HIM I WANTED PERMISSION TO DO THIS AS AN INFO ONLY WRITE-UP. I STATED THAT IN ADDITION TO THE FLT CREW NOTIFICATIONS; I COULD JUST MAKE AN INFO ONLY WRITE-UP STATING 'MEL 28-15-01 (AA) C/W.' THE CTLR ADVISED THAT NO; IT WAS NOT AN INFO WRITE-UP. HE WOULD NOT GIVE PERMISSION FOR AN INFO ONLY WRITE-UP. WE CONTINUED TO DISCUSS THIS AND I QUESTIONED HIM ABOUT THIS; 'ARE YOU SURE ABOUT THIS?' THE MAINT CTLR WAS SO CONFIDENT THAT THIS WAS THE RIGHT WAY TO DO THIS; THAT I STARTED TO BELIEVE HIM. HE ASSURED ME THAT THE MEL GIVES ME THE AUTH TO MAKE THIS ENTRY. I THEN SAID; 'OK I THINK I SEE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING; SINCE THIS IS AN MEL; THEN I HAVE AUTH TO DO ALL THE REQUIRED ITEM?' MAINT CTL SAID YES. I TOLD THE CTLR OK AND VERIFIED HOW HE WANTED THE ENTRY MADE. THE PROB WAS THAT I MADE THE ENTRY IN THE CORRECTIVE ACTION BLOCK OF THE MAINT LOG. A FEW DAYS EARLIER; AS I WAS REVIEWING THE HISTORY OF ANOTHER ACFT; I CAME ACROSS AN OLD LOG PAGE THAT HAD A SIMILAR LOGBOOK ENTRY TO THE ONE I HAD JUST AGREED TO MAKE. WHEN I SAW IT; I THOUGHT HOW COULD THIS PLT MAKE SUCH A MISTAKE?! I THOUGHT TO MYSELF; I WOULD NEVER DO THAT! WELL; NEVER SAY NEVER. IN FACT I DID DO THAT. I REMEMBERED THAT EARLIER ENTRY AS I TALKED TO THE MECH ABOUT THE MEL OF MY ACFT. I STARTED TO BELIEVE MAINT CTL THAT IT WAS OK TO DO THIS. THE OTHER FACTOR IS I HAD BEEN FLYING A NIGHT TRIP AND HAD JUST HAD A SHORT OVERNIGHT AND SWITCHED BACK TO A DAY TRIP. THESE MAY HAVE BEEN FACTORS BUT THEY ALSO ARE MOST LIKELY JUST EXCUSES. BASICALLY; I MADE A MISTAKE. LATER THAT DAY; I STARTED THINKING ABOUT THIS AND REALIZED I MADE A MISTAKE. I WONDERED WHY THE MAINT CTLR WAS SO CONFIDENT IN HIS OPINION AND THAT'S WHEN I REALIZED; 'WHAT IF THE CTLR DID NOT UNDERSTAND HE WAS TALKING TO A PLT?' IT WAS STARTING TO MAKE SENSE NOW. I BELIEVE THE CTLR DID NOT HEAR ME WHEN I STATED I WAS THE CAPT. I THINK HE THOUGHT HE WAS TALKING TO A MECH. I THEN MADE A PHONE CALL TO MAINT CTL AND TOLD THEM ABOUT MY MISTAKE ON THE PAPERWORK.